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Women are not only showing they can be head coaches in NCAA Division I-II men’s volleyball – they are racking up wins in the process.
Off the Block in honor of National Women’s History Month is spotlighting some of the best female head coaches in the history of NCAA Division I-II men’s volleyball.
Nickie Sanlin, McKendree
Sanlin is the GOAT. The first woman head coach to achieve 100 career wins in NCAA Division I-II men’s volleyball – Sanlin. The first woman head coach of a team to beat a nationally ranked NCAA Division I-II men’s volleyball team – Sanlin. The first woman head coach of a team in the postseason to beat a nationally ranked NCAA Division I-II men’s volleyball team – Sanlin. The first woman head coach of a nationally ranked NCAA Division I-II men’s volleyball team – Sanlin. The first woman head coach of a top-10 nationally ranked NCAA Division I-II men’s volleyball team – Sanlin. The winningest woman head coach in NCAA Division I-II men’s volleyball – Sanlin. Sanlin also is in the top 50 for the most career wins among all coaches in the history of NCAA Division I-II men’s volleyball. The only head coach in McKendree’s program history has guided the Bearcats to five winning seasons – all coming in the last six years. In addition, Sanlin has led McKendree to the MIVA Tournament semifinals four times. McKendree this season has already set a program single-season record with 15 wins. The team also is nationally ranked in the top 10 and vying to win its first conference championship in program history.
Mary DeJute, Belmont Abbey
The long-time women’s volleyball coach was the inaugural coach of the Belmont Abbey men’s volleyball team. DeJute guided the first-year program in 2013 to a berth in the ConfCarolinas Tournament. The team also returned to the ConfCarolinas Tournament in 2015 and set a then-program single-season record with 13 wins. Along with the on-court success, DeJute successfully recruited Nolan Albrecht and Derek Sullivan as high schoolers to commit to Belmont Abbey. Both Albrecht and Sullivan after their playing careers would become head coaches at Belmont Abbey and lead the Crusaders to NCAA Tournament appearances. DeJute spent three seasons as the Crusaders’ head coach and during those seasons simultaneously served as the school’s women’s volleyball head coach. DeJute departed Belmont Abbey at the end of the 2015 season to become the St. Edwards University women’s volleyball head coach.
Lauren Ford, Edward Waters
Ford in her first season as the Edward Waters head coach guided the Tigers to the 2023 SIAC championship. Edwards Waters finished the season undefeated in conference play and set a single-season program record with 16 wins. Ford also guided Edward Waters last season to a second-place finish in the SIAC. The Tigers so far in Ford’s head coaching tenure are a combined 26-3 in SIAC play. Along with leading the men’s volleyball program, Ford serves as the head coach of the Edward Waters women’s volleyball team.
Anitra Brockman, UMES
Brockman will be the head coach of the first men’s volleyball program at a NCAA Division I historically black college and university when UMES plays its inaugural season in 2026. Brockman arrived to UMES after spending two seasons as the Central State men’s volleyball head coach. The Marauders under Brockman reached the SIAC Tournament finals last season, including pulling off an upset win against Edward Waters in the semifinals. Central State in 2023 also had a second-place finish in the SIAC and reached the conference tournament semifinals. Brockman before coaching at the college level guided Badin to the 2022 Ohio boys’ volleyball high school state championship.
Gwendolyn Rouse, Benedict
Benedict on the same day it formally announced that it would start a men’s volleyball program also announced that Gwendolyn Rouse would serve as the inaugural head coach. Rouse in her first three seasons has twice guided the Tigers to the SIAC Tournament semifinals. Benedict this season is on the verge of finishing with a winning record for the second time program history. Along with her men’s volleyball experience, Rouse has spent the last 22 years as the head coach of the Benedict women’s volleyball team and has accumulated more than 300 career wins.
Caitlin Bullock Pederson
Bullock Pederson took over the Lees-McRae men’s volleyball program midway through the 2020 season and in her first match helped the team snap a 17-match losing streak. In addition, Bullock Pederson the following year was tasked with simultaneously coaching the Lees-McRae men’s and women’s volleyball teams as both seasons occurred during the spring. The Bobcats that season made their first ConfCarolinas Tournament appearance in three years. Along with her time at Lees-McRae, Bullock Pederson as an assistant coach helped King win the 2018 ConfCarolinas championship and reach the NCAA Tournament. Bullock Pederson departed Lees-McRae following the 2021 season and is currently coaching high school and club girls’ volleyball in Alabama.
Heather Vahjen, Erskine
Vahjen remains the only female head coach to lead a team to the men’s volleyball NCAA Tournament. Vahjen as the Erskine women’s volleyball head coach was tabbed to takeover the men’s volleyball program late in the 2016 season because of a coaching departure. Erskine won the six of its final seven regular season matches to win the ConfCarolinas regular season championship and then won the ConfCarolinas Tournament. Erskine in the NCAA Tournament opening round forced Long Beach State to a second-game overtime before losing in three games. The Fleet in the offseason hired Justin Brubaker to be the men’s volleyball head coach, and Vahjen spent two more seasons coaching the Erskine women’s volleyball team.
Julia Rowland, Coker
Rowland in two seasons as the Coker head coach guided the Cobras to back-to-back IVA Tournament finals appearances. Rowland was the Coker women’s volleyball head coach when she was tabbed to take over the men’s volleyball program late in the 2017 season. Coker the following season in the first full year under Rowland finished with a winning record. In addition, Coker defeated Alderson Broaddus in the IVA Tournament semifinals and forced Lincoln Memorial to a decisive fifth game in the IVA Tournament finals.