Craig Cromwell enters his third season as an assistant coach for Valparaiso in 2011.  His duties include film breakdown, coordinating film exchange, planning team travel and organizing the Crusaders’ recruiting efforts.

In his first two seasons with the Crusaders, Cromwell has helped guide Valpo to 49 victories and the two most recent of the program’s nine straight 20-win seasons.  In 2010, he helped Valpo to 27 wins and a berth in the HL championship match, while he was part of a staff that coached the Crusaders to a runner-up regular season finish in 2009.  He has helped coach Taylor Root, HL Defensive Player of the Year in 2010 and the league’s Newcomer of the Year in 2009, as well as five All-League honorees.

Prior to arriving at Valparaiso, Cromwell served as an assistant coach for four seasons at Chesterton H.S.  During his four years, the Trojans went 109-29, including the program’s first ever conference championship in 2008.  He was part of the Post-Tribune’s Coaching Staff of the Year in 2007, as the squad reached the sectional finals for the second straight year.  With the Trojans, Cromwell assisted in the planning and implementation of drills and schemes, developed a team goal-setting program and also assisted in overall training of players and scouting of opposition.

Cromwell also brings a wealth of additional volleyball experience to the program.  He served as the head coach of the Trojan Volleyball Club 14-1 team from 2004-2008 and also served in 2009 as an assistant coach for the Diamond Elite Volleyball Academy 13-1 team.  As athletic director at St. Patrick School in Chesterton from 2007-2010, he guided the boys’ volleyball program to consecutive CYO championships(2010-2011).  He was selected to coach the Lakeshore Region (Boys' U15) team at the USAV Beach HP Championships in 2011.  He also has served as head coach of the Chesterton H.S. boy's volleyball club, as well as the head coach for the Enigma 17-1 boy's volleyball club.

Cromwell was IMPACT certified by USA Volleyball in 2008, and has served as an instructor for the Volleyball Professionals of EVP.  He also is a standout player, playing regularly across the country in numerous pro beach tours over 19 years of playing experience.

Cromwell and his wife, Lisa, have one son, Kai.