Ian Choi begins his eighth season at the helm of the Fordham Volleyball program in 2025.

The 2024 campaign was highlighted by another stellar year for fifth-year hitter Whitley Moody, one of the top recruits Choi has brought to The Bronx. Moody’s final season in Maroon and White saw her set new program records for career kills, hitting attempts, and kills per set average, and graduates as the only player in program history with both 1,000 kills and 1,000 digs, ranked seventh all-time in digs and 10th in digs per set average.

Completing their best season under Choi in 2023, the Rams posted a 17-12 record, their most wins in a single season since 2010, including a 9-1 record in non-conference play. Collecting another eight wins in conference play Fordham would earn a sport in the A-10 Tournament for the third time since 2020, coming just a handful of points away from a five-set upset of VCU in the opening round. Fordham would see three players garner All-Conference awards from the A-10 at season's end, including Moody, who became the newest member of the Fordham 1,000 kills club that year.

The 2022 rendition of the Rams would also see the completion of Choi’s first recruiting cycle on Rose Hill, with the departing class orginially being scouted by Choi in 2017 when he was first hired at Fordham as an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator, before taking the reins of the program the following year. A pair of players would take home all-conference awards, with the Rams falling just short of reaching the postseason.

In 2021, Choi would lead the Rams to the program’s first-ever Atlantic 10 Championship match. After nearly leading the team to a first Atlantic 10 tournament appearance since 2010 following a three-match win streak to close out the 2019 season, Fordham earned that much sought after postseason berth with a 5-3 league record in the abbreviated 2020 season that took place in Spring 2021. The 2021 season marked the first time the program had gone to the postseason in back-to-back years since 2007-08. 

Signed to a three-year extension in January 2020, Fordham’s 2019 campaign finished with 12 total wins and five league wins, both best marks since 2012, which was also the last time the squad had tallied three straight league wins. That season saw a plethora of new individual and team records set, most notably by senior libero Morgan Williams, who became the program’s all-time leader in every digs category and single-match record en route to earning the school’s first Atlantic 10 Libero of the Year honor. Two freshmen, Megan Brzozowski and Aria De La Rosa also earned spots on the All-Rookie team, just the second time two Rams have made that squad in their history. 

The 2020 campaign saw more individual honors for the program with Whitley Moody earning Rookie of the Year, First Team All-Conference, and All-Rookie, while also becoming the first AVCA All-Region honoree in program history. The 2021 season featured Moody earning another All-Conference award, this time being named to the Second Team, while a pair of juniors, Brzozowski and Mallory Lipski, were named to the All-Championship squad.

Originally arriving to Fordham in 2017 as the Assistant Coach and Recruiting Coordinator, Choi helped lead the Rams to their highest RPI finish in six years by serving as the position coach for Middle Blockers and Liberos in addition to leading all defensive systems.

Prior to his arrival in New York City, Choi spent two seasons as the Assistant Coach and Recruiting Coordinator at San Jose State University where he trained the Middle Blockers, Setters and Liberos. He was also responsible for scouting opponents and coding via Data Volley. During his two years, the Spartans saw the second-highest RPI increase among all Division I teams.

Early in his collegiate coaching career, Choi served as an Assistant Coach at the University of Kansas where he worked primarily with the Liberos and Defensive Specialists. That year Choi helped lead the University of Kansas to receive an At-Large bid to the NCAA tournament and finish 22-9 on the season.

Choi’s collegiate coaching experience started at The University of Texas where he helped the Longhorns win a Big 12 Championship and ultimately concluded the season as National Semi-Finalists.

In addition to coaching collegiately, Choi has extensive experience and success coaching with USAV Junior Volleyball. Spending most of his time with the top club in Central Texas, Austin Junior Volleyball, Choi garnered National Qualifying bids across all age groups during his six year tenure there and earned Coach of the Year in 2013. While coaching with USAV, Choi also head coached The University of Texas Women’s Club Volleyball team leading them to a National Championship in 2011.

Choi competed at The University of Texas as a setter helping the team to a top 10 finish in 2006. He has a Master’s Degree in Kinesiology from San Jose State University and a Bachelor’s Degree in Education and Mechanical Engineering from the University of Texas.