ROANE STATE ANNOUNCES NEW WOMEN'S VOLLEYBALL HEAD COACH

Mackenzie Shirley is the new women's volleyball coach at Roane State. Shirley brings a wealth of experience as a former NAIA standout athlete at Union College in volleyball and as an NCAA athlete at Tusculum University, where she excelled at beach volleyball.

During the 2023-24 season, Shirley led Tusculum to a 21-12 record as interim coach and guided the team to another conference championship. As an assistant coach for previous Roane State head coach Steve Dallman, Shirley worked with her team on fundamentals and helped coordinate recruiting in the 2024-25 season.

"Steve did a lot of good things and built a good culture here so I would like to progress that and make it more," Coach Shirley said. "I want to stay in tune with that and say 'this is how we do it at Roane State. This is what Roane State Volleyball looks like.' I want to make it more of a family on the court and off the court."

Shirley has established solid goals for the program's future, and those goals transcend success on the court. She has already begun to outline expectations of more community engagement in Roane County, and more time in the gym to create a faster and stronger team.

"I'm very thankful and appreciative for this opportunity," Coach Shirley added. "I don't take this lightly, being the coach of these girls. I know that I make a difference and make an impact, and I want them to know they can accomplish the same things. I love this community. Everyone's been so sweet and kind, and they really are just like a family."

Shirley inherits a volleyball program that finished second in NJCAA/TCCAA Region 7. The Raiders will return most of their freshmen and have a solid incoming recruiting class coming to campus this fall. She knows that this combination sets the expectations high for the coming season.

"Someone that is going to change the game for us this year will be Hannah Harnichar," Coach Shirley said. "Then Jaylynn Bullock, she is our libero. She used to be a setter, but we switched her to libero last year and she did an amazing job. So they will be a good force for our team this year to set the pace and the tone and they are definitely some people to keep your eye on."

Shirley said she felt led to the opportunities of her past, as a player at Union and Tusculum, and then as a coach for Tusculum and Roane State. She said she recognized that constant guidance as the backbone of her decision-making.

"Coach Shirley's leadership will be a key component in our continued pursuit of excellence, as she sets her sights on further developing the volleyball team's competitive edge and fostering a positive team culture," said David Lane, Roane State's director of athletics.

The Lady Raiders will take the court for the 2025 season this August. Additional information on the team can be found online at roanestate.edu/volleyball.