Tuesday, April 22, 2008

MICHAEL ROBINSON NAMED TUSCULUM VOLLEYBALL COACH

GREENEVILLE, Tenn. --- Michael Robinson has been named the new head coach of the Tusculum College volleyball program announced Director of Athletics Frankie DeBusk. Robinson becomes the seventh head coach in the 25-year history of volleyball at Tennessee’s oldest college.

Robinson, who has served the last three seasons on the Pioneer coaching staff, takes over the reigns of the program, following the resignation of Nathan Baker, who accepted the head coaching position at the University of West Alabama.

“We are pleased that Coach Robinson has accepted this opportunity to lead our volleyball program,” said DeBusk. “We received several applications and I spoke to many qualified candidates about this position. Michael is an excellent coach and an outstanding person that has played an integral part of the success our program has enjoyed over the past two seasons.”

Over the past two years, Robinson has helped the program to a 48-20 record, including a 20-8 mark in the South Atlantic Conference. In 2006, TC posted a 23-10 showing, a 14-win improvement from the previous season. TC also posted a 9-5 SAC record to finish fourth in the league.

But it was in 2007 that the Pioneers showed the most improvement going 25-10, while establishing a new school record for SAC wins in a season (11). Tusculum went 11-3 in league play, while finishing second in the conference, its best ever finish since joining the SAC in 1998. TC ranked second in the nation in blocks per game and ninth in team hitting percentage.

That squad boasted the 2007 SAC Player of the Year in Vivian Lacy, who became the first Tusculum volleyball player to garner NCAA Division II All-America distinction. Lacy was named the SAC Player of the Year, while Alexis Rowles was tabbed the SAC Scholar Athlete for volleyball. On the 2007 squad alone, four players earned All-SAC recognition, including: Lacy, Kelsey Hayden, Katie Luebke and Mariana Rezende.

While at Tusculum, Robinson’s teams have excelled off the volleyball court, earning the American Volleyball Coaches Association Team Academic Award.

I’m very excited and grateful for the opportunity to lead the Tusculum program,” Robinson said. “I want to thank Frankie DeBusk for this opportunity and to Nathan Baker for being an outstanding mentor and a good friend. Tusculum volleyball has a rich and storied history and I’m proud to have the responsibility to build upon the success we have enjoyed both on and off the court these past two years.”

Robinson, a native of Green Mountain, N.C., came to the Greeneville campus after serving as head volleyball coach at T.C. Roberson High School in Asheville, N.C. in 2004.

Prior to 2004, Robinson coached six years at South Atlantic Conference member Mars Hill College. He served as a student assistant with the Lady Lions from 1998-2000 and as an assistant coach from 2001-03. During his tenure, Mars Hill boasted six All-Conference honorees, including 1998 SAC Player of the Year Nicole Silver and 2001 SAC Freshman of the Year Sarah Nash.

While at Mars Hill, he assisted with all operations of the volleyball program, including scouting, filming, weight training, conditioning and practice coordination.

The 1998 MHC squad posted a 32-6 overall record while capturing the South Atlantic Conference championship and the SAC Tournament title. The team tied for fifth in the NCAA Division II Southeast Region, while Silver led the nation in digs, averaging six per game.

Robinson is a member of the American Volleyball Coaches Association and is active within the organization, serving on the AVCA Assistant Coaches Committee.

Tusculum College, located in Greeneville, Tenn., is affiliated with the Presbyterian Church, USA and is a NCAA Division II member of the South Atlantic Conference which is comprised of nine colleges and universities in Tennessee, North Carolina and South Carolina.

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