May 20, 2008

RIPON, Wis. - For the first time in 11 years, the Ripon College volleyball team will have a new face roaming the sidelines as head coach of the Red Hawks. On May 20, Ripon announced Erin Plumley as the fourth head coach in program history, taking over a team that finished 14-13 last season. This will be Plumley's first head coaching job at the college level, after spending the past three seasons as an assistant at DePauw University (IN).

In her three years as an assistant at DePauw, the Tigers finished with a combined record of 69-38. Plumley was an integral part of the recruiting process and conditioning program during those years. Prior to her time at DePauw, Plumley spent stints as a volunteer volleyball coach at Campbellsville University (KY) and as the middle school and assistant varsity volleyball coach at Green County School Board in Greensburg, Ky. She also gained experience in 2004 as a coach at the University of Kentucky Team Volleyball Camp.

Plumley received her Masters degree in mental health counseling from Indiana State University in May of 2008, after earning her Bachelors degree in social science from Campbellsville University in 2004. At Campbellsville, Plumley was a three-time Academic All-Conference volleyball selection for the Mid-South Conference, while also being named to the 2001 Mid-South All-Conference team as an honorable mention.

"Erin is a great addition to our coaching staff. She helped build a strong program at DePauw University as an assistant," athletic director Bob Gillespie said. "She is a great recruiter and her passion for volleyball will motivate her athletes. She understands Division III athletics and will be a role model for our athletes."