NEWBERRY - Head coach Ross Kessler has announced the addition of Maureen Johnson to his coaching staff. Johnson will be given the title of assistant coach/recruiting coordinator.
Johnson joins the Newberry family after spending the past two seasons at Marietta College, an NCAA Division III institution.
During her time at Marietta, she was responsible for scouting reports, planning and running practices, keeping statistics, and handling all aspects of team travel, including maintaining the budget. She was also responsible for overseeing recruiting, developing players' academic progress, and managing the program's social media presence.
Prior to Marietta, Johnson was the Director of Volleyball Operations at Northern Illinois for two seasons. Johnson assisted in running drills during practices, and helped track team statistics during games. Johnson also managed the budget and helped maintain the relationship with alumni and boosters.
Johnson has club coaching experience as she has spent a year coaching the VC United Volleyball Club. In addition to her club coaching experience she also has coached at numerous camps, including camps at Northern Illinois University, the University of Illinois, and Ashland University.
Johnson competed collegiately at Ashland University, a NCAA Division II member, where she was a three year starter and advanced to the NCAA Tournament twice in her career.
A native of Crystal Lake, Illinois, Johnson received her Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Ashland University in 2015. She completed her Master's degree in Sports Management in 2018.
"I am extremely grateful and excited to be a part of the Newberry volleyball program," Johnson said. I would like to thank Ross Kessler and Ralph Patterson for giving me this amazing opportunity. With the support of the athletic department and the guidance of Coach Kessler, Newberry volleyball has very exciting times ahead and I feel extremely lucky to be a part of it."
"We're thrilled to be adding MJ to the program," Coach Kessler said. "Throughout the course of our coaching search, it became increasingly clear MJ was the perfect candidate for the job. Her knowledge of the game, experience in high level gyms, ability to connect to our athletes, and her passion and drive to grow and develop as a coach are going to bring a fresh energy to our gym. Combined with the relationships she's built and the connections she's made across the Midwest, MJ can be a big force in expanding Newberry's horizons on the recruiting trail. We're excited and honored to have MJ joining us and we can't wait to get her started."
