TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – Illinois volleyball assistant coach Rashinda Reed was named head coach of the Alabama volleyball program on Monday as announced by the school.
"I am extremely excited for this opportunity for Rashinda," said head coach Chris Tamas. "She is a great coach and even a better person. Our bond goes well beyond us coaching together. She is my best friend and sister. She is creative, innovative and has always pushed this program to be better each and every day. I am forever thankful and grateful for her being with us for the last five seasons and wish her the best as she builds her own program."
In her five seasons with the Illini, Reed helped lead the team to four NCAA Tournament appearances, including NCAA Sweet 16 appearances in 2017 and 2021 and making the program's fourth-ever trip in the NCAA National Semifinals as the No. 3 overall seed in the 2018 NCAA Tournament. One of the most successful teams in program history, the 2018 squad ended the season ranked No. 3 in the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) Coaches Poll, registering a 32-4 overall record and finished in second place in the Big Ten Conference with a 17-3 mark, with the 32 victories ranking tied for fourth-most wins in school history.
Under her tutelage, the Illini middle blockers have been some of the nation's best with former Illini Ali Bastianelli earning back-to-back AVCA All-America Third-Team and All-Big Ten First-Team honors in 2017 and 2018, while graduate Ashlyn Fleming collected two-straight All-Big Ten Second-Team accolades in her two seasons with the Orange and Blue.
Prior to her time at Illinois, Reed was named the head volleyball coach at Northern Michigan University in December of 2016 following seven seasons as an assistant coach at a number of highly successful NCAA Division I and Division II programs, while also enjoying a strong collegiate and professional career as a middle blocker.
Reed started her collegiate career at Southwestern Oregon Community College, spending two seasons as a Laker and garnering All-Northwest Athletic Conference Second-Team accolades in 2002, before transferring to the University of Georgia, where she played from 2002-2004.
After graduating in 2005 from the University of Georgia, Reed spent five seasons playing professional volleyball overseas. She then secured her first coaching position at the University of Southern Indiana in 2009, before assistant coach stints at Binghamton, Northeastern and UAB.
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