Kalie Mader has already proven she can quickly turn a volleyball program around. Now she inherits a program that will look to defend back-to-back NJCAA national championships after being named Blinn College's new volleyball coach today.
Mader comes to Blinn from Pratt (Kan.) Community College, where she took a program that went 7-23 prior to her arrival and led it to a 22-11 mark and the regional tournament last season. She has also served as an assistant coach at Southwestern Oklahoma State University and a graduate assistant at Christian Brothers University in Memphis, Tenn.
Mader is expected to begin in July.
"Blinn has a reputation as one of the best community college programs in the nation," she said. "I'm looking forward to getting on the court and helping our players build on that tradition."
Mader proved a versatile player for both Pratt and SWOSU, playing every position over the course of her four-year college career.
"Kalie has a well-rounded volleyball background and she shares Blinn's values regarding academic achievement and community service," said Scott Schumacher, athletic director. "We are excited to watch her build upon our volleyball program's long record of success both on and off the court."
At Pratt, Mader was a two-time Kansas Jayhawk Community College Conference (KJCCC) Academic All-American and a KJCCC second-team all-conference selection as a player. She then transferred to SWOSU, where she tallied 362 kills, 117 digs, 81 blocks and 79 assists. Following her senior season, Mader was named to the Great American Conference all-academic team.
A native of Nickerson, Kan., she holds a bachelor's degree in exercise science and a master's degree in sports management.
Mader inherits a program that has captured four NJCAA national championships, including three in the past four years. Since 1996, Blinn has won 10 Region XIV Conference championships and earned 10 berths to the NJCAA National Championships. In total, the program has produced 16 consecutive winning seasons, 12 consecutive seasons with seven losses or fewer, 21 All-Americans and 61 players who have continued their playing careers at four-year colleges and universities. An additional five Buccaneers from last season's national championship team have signed to play for four-year universities this fall.
Mader replaces Erin Mellinger, who compiled a 106-11 record and two national championships in three seasons with the Buccaneers. She resigned to spend more time with family.
Blinn has competed in intercollegiate athletics since 1903 and captured 32 NJCAA national championships since 1987. For more information, visit www.buccaneersports.com.
About Blinn College
A comprehensive community college committed to educational excellence and to individual and community enhancement, Blinn College has served its 13-county Central Texas region since 1883. With an enrollment of 19,317 students, Blinn ranks among the nation's leaders in transferring students to leading four-year universities and has received national recognition for affordable educational excellence.
Blinn offers job seekers the skills and credentials they need to succeed in the region's fast-growing industries, and partners with local businesses to provide skills development training for incumbent employees. Each year, Blinn programs and students make a $345.3 million impact on the local economy.
For more information about Blinn College and exciting student success initiatives such as Destination Success: First-Year Focus and the Blinn TEAM Program, visit www.blinn.edu or follow us on Facebook and Twitter.
