Glendale, Ariz.- Arizona Christian men's volleyball will move forward under the leadership of a familiar face. Caden Toben has been promoted to head coach and will lead the Firestorm into the 2026 season. Toben succeeds Trent Bruns, who resigns after four seasons guiding the program.

Toben is in his second stint with the Firestorm, having previously served as an assistant in 2020 before returning earlier this academic year. Between stops in Glendale, Toben gained collegiate experience at Grand Canyon University and built an impressive five-year resume coaching at the club level.  While at GCU, Toben took on a significant leadership role as an assistant coach following the departure of the head coach mid-season.  Coach Toben had the opportunity to help lead the team during that transition in the spring of 2025, and found success against multiple top 10 programs in NCAA Division I competition.

"Coach Toben has demonstrated his ability to coach at a high level," said Director of Athletics Peter Dryer. "He knows what this program is about, and he has a track record of building teams that compete the right way.  I am excited to see how our program develops under his leadership."

On the court, Toben's teams have consistently played deep into championship weekends. His coaching stops include a second-place finish at the 2022 AAU Nationals in the 17s Club Division and a third-place national finish the following year with a 16s group. Across multiple seasons, his teams have also produced top-three finishes at SoCal Cup events.  In the high school ranks, Coach Toben assisted with the Sandra Day O'Connor's boys volleyball team that finished runner-up in the 6A division of AIA boys volleyball in 2024.  Currently, Toben assists with a 16s Arizona Fear team that finished first in the Arizona Region this past fall season.  

That coaching foundation is rooted in Toben's own playing career. A product of Arizona Fear Volleyball Club, he helped guide his team to a third-place finish at nationals in the 18s division. He later starred at Morningside University in Sioux City, Iowa, where he became a four-year starter, team captain, and selected to the all-tournament team at the Sienna Heights NAIA Invitational in 2019.  Toben left his mark on the program record book, setting standards for single-game assists and assists per set during his career.

Bruns departs ACU having overseen a meaningful period of growth for the Firestorm. Over four seasons, he helped elevate the program's profile and guided it to several milestones, most notably a top-15 national ranking in 2023 - the highest in program history.

"Trent poured a great deal into this program," Dryer said. "He helped establish a standard of competitiveness and laid a foundation that positions us well moving forward. We're grateful for his leadership and wish him nothing but success in his next chapter and as he leads his growing family." 

About Arizona Christian University
Arizona Christian University is an accredited, private, non-profit, Christian university in sunny Glendale, Arizona offering a wide variety of degrees preparing students for successful careers, while remaining committed to its vision of transforming culture with biblical truth. Students actively engage in biblically integrated academics and gain a liberal arts foundation with critical thinking skills that last a lifetime. ACU draws students from more than 40 states and 30 countries, and the Firestorm compete athletically in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA). For more information about ACU and how to apply for admission, visit arizonachristian.edu.