Rosen hired as assistant volleyball coach

LONGVIEW – LeTourneau University head volleyball coach Andy Cavins announced the hiring Tuesday of former Bluffton University player Michele Rosen as assistant coach.

 

"I couldn't be more pleased to have Michele join my staff and our athletic family here at LeTourneau," Cavins said. "She is an extremely accomplished player and comes from a program at Bluffton University that we as a volleyball program would like to emulate.

 

"She knows how to compete and win and I know that tremendous desire will impact our program immensely. Her passion for volleyball and knowledge will help us to get top student-athletes to continue to grow our program."

 

In her four years at Bluffton, Rosen helped build the program from her freshman year. The Beavers were 9-21 and didn't reach the conference tournament. As a sophomore, Bluffton went 11-20 and missed the postseason for the second straight season.

 

But the big turnaround came in Rosen's third season where the Beavers went 21-10 and placed fourth in the conference. Bluffton lost in the semifinals of the conference tournament. As a senior, the progression was complete as Bluffton went 27-6 and won the conference regular season title and the conference tournament to get an automatic bid to the NCAA Division III National Tournament – the first for the school in last 15 years.

 

The Harrison, Ohio native played Junior Olympic Volleyball for five years for Kaepa Borderline Juniors bases out of Oxford, Ohio. In her final two seasons, Rosen played in 144 sets. She recorded 179 kills, 72 digs, 42 total blocks, 18 service aces and 17 assists.

 

"I am very blessed to be joining the volleyball coaching staff at LeTourneau," Rosen said. " From the moment I learned about the opportunity, I felt this would be a great chance to be part of a successful, growing program with a similar background to where I am coming from at Bluffton University in Ohio.

 

"Like Bluffton, LeTourneau has made a commitment to developing a winning tradition through faith and dedication. I look forward to the challenges ahead, both coaching and academic, and am excited to learn and grow along with this up and coming program."

 

The YellowJackets open the 2010 season Sept. 3-4 at the Millsaps Tournament in Jackson, Miss.