MSU Billings Hires Volleyball Coach (2/12/07)
Press Conference Photos

BILLINGS, MT – Dr. Gary Gray, Director of Intercollegiate Athletics at Montana State University-Billings, announced Monday that Sara Schaub has been hired as the school’s new head volleyball coach.  Schaub becomes the program’s eleventh head coach since the program was reinstated in 1984.

“We are excited that Coach Schaub has accepted our offer to become the next head volleyball coach at MSU Billings,” said Gray.  “She has a wealth of experience in volleyball, both as a player and a coach.  Her knowledge in the area of offensive and defensive strategies, as well as recruiting, will be very beneficial to the team, as will her energy and enthusiasm.  Sara’s leadership abilities will serve her well as she leads our volleyball team into our new conference next fall.”

Schaub’s coaching experience has most recently been at Division I Eastern Michigan University in Ypsilanti where she had been the first assistant since 2002.  She guided the Eagles to the program’s first Mid-America Conference West Division Championship in 2005.  Schaub’s responsibilities were recruiting student-athletes, practice organization, and leading a successful volleyball camp program at Eastern.   

“I am extremely excited and honored to be the next head coach at MSU Billings,” said the newly appointed Sara Schaub.  “I am very grateful to Dr. Gray and the entire search committee for giving me this opportunity.  I feel very fortunate to join such an upbeat and visionary department.  I look forward to working with the student-athletes, building an exciting program, and being part of the Billings community.”

Schaub, originally from Huron, Ohio was a four-year starter for the Eastern Michigan Eagles as an outside hitter.  Schaub is the only player in Mid-American Conference history to average over four kills and four digs per game in the same season.  She currently holds the record at Eastern Michigan for career attack attempts and is second for career kills and digs, sixth for career aces, and seventh for career block assists.

Schaub graduated from Eastern Michigan in 2001 with a Bachelor’s in Business Administration in Accounting Information Systems.  She also holds a Master of Science in Accounting, graduating Magna Cum Laude from EMU in 2002.  In her free time, Schaub is an avid beach volleyball player and has participated in the Association of Volleyball Professionals, Extreme Volleyball Professionals, and Midwest Professional Volleyball Association, winning many events.

The Yellowjackets 2006 season was the most successful in the program’s history finishing 26-5.  The Lady Jackets won the Heartland Conference Championship sweeping all matches in straight games and in their first ever NCAA Southwest Regional appearance the Lady Jackets won 3-0 over Western New Mexico before falling to the No. 1 seed West Texas A&M in the semifinals.  The Yellowjackets move from the Heartland Conference where they posted a perfect 10-0 record to the Great Northwest Athletic Conference beginning July 1, 2007.