Volleyball in search of coach

The Penn women's volleyball team may name a new coach as early as mid-next week. The year of Penn's coaching change saga continues. Within the last 12 months, the Penn Athletic Department has witnessed the unusual occurrence of hiring several new head coaches in big-name sports. From men's lacrosse coach Marc Van Arsdale to last month's naming of Rudy Fuller as the new men's soccer coach, the Athletic Department has brought in new faces on all playing surfaces. Next week, the trend will most likely continue when a new women's volleyball coach is expected to be named. According to Senior Associate Athletic Director Carolyn Schlie Femovich, the applicant pool has been narrowed down to three candidates, and a decision will most likely be made by "mid to late next week." All three of the candidates that have been brought to campus are women and come highly recommended from all parts of the country, including one from Alaska. "The three people that we are the most interested in either went to school on the East Coast and coached on the West Coast, or went to school on the West Coast and are from the East Coast," Femovich said. "It was important for us to address that national flavor." The position was vacated before the holiday break when former coach Margaret Feeney resigned to "pursue personal goals." The decision was announced December 10 and went into effect on December 31. The athletes have since been working out individually to keep in shape. "There has been discussion about things we would like to see happen," junior co-captain Megan McKay said. "People are working really hard to improve themselves, because we don't know what we are going to get." The original intent was to begin searching for a new candidateas soon as possible. However, the timing of the resignation right before the holiday created a difficult situation for the Athletic Department. Along with the extensive search already in progress to fill the vacancy left by George O'Neill at the helm of the men's soccer team, the Athletic Department waited before jumping head first into seeking out the best possible candidate for the job. "We used this semester to readvertise and ask around about any up-and-coming coaches that were ready to coach at a Division I school," Femovich said. "I am happy with it now, but initially I don't think the [applicant pool] was that strong." The committee search process is being headed by Femovich. Academic Coordinator Robert Koonce and Executive Assistant to the Athletic Director Debbie Anekstine are among the other administrators involved. Field hockey coach Val Cloud is the one coach who has been responsible for showing the prospective coaches around campus. "It is necessary to give them as much information as possible about what it means to coach in the Ivy League," Cloud said. "It is not negative, it is just different." The two players who have been instrumental in the selection process are the team's two captains, sophomore K.C Potter and McKay. After an inconsistent 11-14 season, the players are looking for someone to spark new energy into the team and bring coherence to a young unit. Although the squad only compiled a 2-5 Ivy League record, the Quakers will lose but two seniors, Heather Tillet and Jessica Luftman, to graduation. Though the coach will not be expected to put together a championship team in her first season, the nucleus of young players will give her a team capable of competing immediately. In addition to winning, a focus of the search has been put on the new coach's ability to recruit actively, especially on the West Coast. Though the popularity of volleyball is growing exponentially on the East Coast, all members of the search party have expressed concern with the new coach's West Coast ties. "Regardless if they come from there originally, but that they've had training from the big programs," Potter said. "And most of them are out [West], not to say that East Coast volleyball is bad, it just hasn't become as big here yet." Potter, a San Diego, Calif.-native, and McKay, who hales from West Linn, Ore., have represented this concern on the team's behalf. While the administration looks for someone who can bring excitement back to Penn volleyball and establish national ties, the players remain steadfast that they are simply looking for the candidate with the best volleyball mind. "I think what we want is evident," Potter said. "We have talked copiously about the coaching situation. We just want the best person that they can bring to the program." The search for a volleyball coach will most likely come to a close next weekend. For the time being, the roller-coaster ride that has affected Penn's coaching staff will construct one more pillar of stability.

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