CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – Illinois volleyball head coach Chris Tamas has named Krista Vansant as the next assistant coach for the Fighting Illini volleyball program. Vansant will serve as the program's recruiting coordinator as well as training the six-rotation players and helping with offensive game planning, pending Board of Trustee approval.
"Krista was very impressive in every phase of her interview process with our staff," said Tamas. "She has had a stellar career as a player but, more importantly, she conveys how those experiences have made her a better person, coach, and mentor to those around her and how she continually wants to improve in that regard. We are training champions on and off the court and Krista will play a huge role in our players' development. We are thrilled to add her to our Illini family today."
Vansant comes to Illinois following four successful seasons as an assistant coach at Indiana University after joining the Hoosiers staff in January of 2018.
"I would like to thank Chris Tamas, Dr. Breanna Robinson and Josh Whitman for the opportunity to join Illinois volleyball," said Vansant. "I am both humbled and honored to become a member of a very accomplished staff and continue to build on the success of this program. Developing and cultivating an exceptional student-athlete experience has always been a priority of mine and Illinois Athletics shares these same values. I appreciate the tradition of success on a national stage, and I am looking forward to helping pursue championships. I am excited to build on the foundation of this storied program and eager to begin working as a part of the Fighting Illini family. I-L-L!"
While at Indiana, Vansant helped recruit the Hoosiers 2020 freshmen class, which ranked No. 15 in the country, the highest ranked class in program history. It included the second highest ranked individual recruit in program history in No. 32 Tommi Stockham and two Under Armour All-Americans.
During the 2019 season Vansant mentored sophomore Breana Edwards, who led the team with 361 kills and set an IU program record for kills in a match with 39 in a five-setter against Maryland. Following the season, Edwards was named to the All-Big Ten Second Team and was also selected to the U.S. Collegiate National Team – Gold Roster.
Vansant was selected as an assistant coach with the USA Volleyball Collegiate National Team Japan Tour in the summer of 2019 and was also selected for the U.S. Women's Junior National Team Coaching Staff for the summer of 2020.
A 2014 graduate of the University of Washington, Vansant helped the U.S. win gold at the Pan American Games and she was named an alternate for the 2016 Rio Olympic Team. She played professionally from the fall of 2015 through spring of 2016 with Volero Zurich in Switzerland.
Prior to IU, Vansant served as a volleyball program assistant at Washington and oversaw recruiting for the program. She also coached the Seattle Juniors 16 Volleyball Club.
As an outside hitter, Vansant left UW as the most decorated volleyball player ever to wear the purple and gold. In 2013, Vansant became the first Husky to claim the American Volleyball Coaches Association National Player of the Year award, while also earning ESPNW National Player of the Year recognition as a senior in 2014.
In the 2013-14 season and 2014-15 season Vansant earned the Honda Sports Award, given to the best collegiate volleyball player. The Huskies retired her No. 16 jersey during the 2017 season.
On the international stage, Vansant earned Most Valuable Player honors and best outside spiker at the 2015 Pan American Cup, her first international tournament. She led Team USA to gold at the 2015 Pan Am Cup with a tournament-leading 50.4 kill percentage to go with 81 total points.
Vansant, a native of Redlands, Calif., graduated from Washington in 2015 with a bachelor's degree in Sociology. She finished her playing career at UW with 1,893 career kills, which included 565 kills (4.67 kills per set) and a .320 hitting percentage in her senior year.
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