Dr. Mashallah Farokhmanesh Position: Assistant Volleyball Coach

The tall and affable Mashallah Farokhmanesh is a prominent attribute to the Cougar volleyball program after serving as an assistant coach for the past 13 seasons.

Born in Burojerd, Iran, Farokhmanesh, known as Farokh, graduated from Pahlavi High School where he played volleyball for four years. His prep team won the state championship three times during his career. He went on to Teacher Training College in Tehran, Iran, and graduated in 1972 with a bachelors of arts degree in physical education. While in college, Farokh played on the men’s volleyball team that won the collegiate championship two years. He was honored all four years with all-star recognition.

He played on and was the captain of the Iranian National Team for seven years, competing internationally including teams from Russia and China.

Farokh’s coaching career began with three years at Esfahan High School and another three years with the Iranair Club team.

In 1977, Farokh came to the United States and in 1979 earned his masters degree in physical education at Western Illinois University in Macomb, Ill. The following year he was drafted by the New Mexico franchise of the men’s professional volleyball league.

Continuing his education, Farokh earned his educational doctorate (EdD) in elementary school physical education in 1985 from Brigham Young University. While at BYU, he was a player and coach on the men’s volleyball club team for three seasons.

Known for his strong technical teaching skills, Farokh has coached at summer camps and clinics throughout the United States since 1979. It was at one of these summer camps that he met and later married Cindy Fredrick.

Fredrick was the head coach at Weber State (Ogden, Utah) from 1985-1989, and Farokhmanesh was her assistant. They earned a Big Sky Conference Championship and the school’s first NCAA tournament bid. This successful coaching team left Weber State in 1989 to take over the Cougar volleyball program.

Farokhmanesh and Fredrick have one son, Ali.