SAN BERNARDINO, Calif. - A new Taraflex volleyball surface at Coussoulis Arena on the campus of California State University San Bernardino has officially been named Kim Cherniss Court after the program's legendary head coach. 

The name was officially unveiled to Cherniss, her team, and a group of women's volleyball alumni prior to their annual Alumni Game on Saturday afternoon.

"What a joy it was to have unveiled this floor on Alumni Day," said Cherniss. "For all of them to see the tangible result of the legacy they have built over the years with their hard work and success was an emotional thing for me to witness. I was also so honored at the naming of the floor. It is extremely humbling because it represents a lot of people who have contributed so much to this program. I thank each and every one of them for their commitment to Coyote volleyball."

Cherniss has won 757 games over 33 seasons for the Coyotes, and is two matches away from coaching her 1,000th for Cal State San Bernardino. She is the only coach in program history since transitioning to Division II, has coached the Yotes to 23 consecutive NCAA Tournament berths, and won the 2019 Division II National Championship. The 10-time CCAA Coach of the Year was also the 2008 AVCA Division II Coach of the Year.

"There is not a single individual at Cal State San Bernardino more synonymous with excellence than Kim Cherniss," said Shareef Amer, Director of Athletics at CSUSB. "She has turned our women's volleyball program into a perennial powerhouse not only in the West Region, but nationally. Off the floor, Kim has built a team culture that is unrivaled, and her student-athletes are model citizens on our campus. When we had an opportunity to name our new playing surface, it was a no-brainer to honor Kim."

The Taraflex floor is a polyurethane sport surface that is more shock-absorbent than a typical hardwood basketball floor. The customized portable floor at CSUSB comes in 22 strips and will help prevent both long-term and immediate injuries upon impact. Taraflex is widely used at high-level volleyball competition internationally, as well as by many Division I volleyball programs. Earlier this summer, it was the official surface of the volleyball competition at the 2024 Paris Olympics.

The unveiling falls in conjunction with the celebration of the 40th anniversary of intercollegiate athletics at Cal State San Bernardino. "For the last 40 years, our women's volleyball program has given our campus so much to be proud of," said Amer. "It felt like there was no better way to kick off this anniversary year than by honoring and rewarding this program. To be able to unveil this floor in front of the alumni that helped us reach perennial national prominence was a treat. To recognize Kim's contributions to our campus by naming the court in her honor was the cherry on top."

The naming of the court was a complete surprise to Cherniss. Throughout the design process, Amer took extra care to ensure the vendor sent Cherniss renderings of the court omitting her insignia.

"We wanted to make the moment as special to Kim as possible," said Amer. "I think we accomplished that; the court unveiling went even better than I imagined."

"We are so incredibly appreciative to have this beautiful playing surface for our student-athletes," said Cherniss. This is the highest quality floor a collegiate program could ask for. We love this show of support for the student-athletes from our institution. To have the athletic director, our vice president of student affairs, and our president value not just the opportunity of a student-athlete's experience, but also the quality of it has been a true inspiration for our team."

Kim Cherniss Court will host its first matches on Thursday, the first of three days of the Yotes Classic Showcase. The Coyotes are scheduled to play Seattle Pacific at 7:30 p.m. after three neutral site contests.