Volleyball assistant coaches make key contributions

With 19 victories and six games to play in 2010, the IU volleyball team might be tournament-bound.

So far, the Hoosiers have eclipsed their win total from last year and have defeated three top-25 opponents in the Big Ten.

One reason the Hoosiers might have had additional success this season are because of assistant coaches Nancy Mueller and Paul Koncir, who are in their first years.

Mueller and Koncir took over after last year’s assistant coaches, who sought volleyball
opportunities elsewhere.

Sarah Gustin was an assistant at IU for three years before leaving in the summer to take the head coaching job at Cal State San Marcos to be closer to her family.

“She is very deserving of everything that she is getting,” IU coach Sherry Dunbar said of Gustin. “She has paid her dues to get a head coaching job.”

Keith Schunzel went to North Texas last spring to be an assistant under his friend, coach Ken Murczek.

“Keith had a great opportunity,” Dunbar said. “His best friend has been looking for a head coaching job, and they talked about whoever got the head coaching job first, then the other would go.”

Both Mueller and Koncir bring numerous years of head coaching, which is different from Gustin and Schunzel.

“They both bring a lot of information and insight because of their volleyball experience,” sophomore right-side hitter Kelci Marschall said.

Mueller brought almost 20 years of volleyball experience to the Hoosiers upon her arrival in June. She was a four-time letterwinner for Tennessee as a defensive specialist and setter and later served as coach of South Florida for three years.

She took the same position at Illinois-Chicago in 2004. After her contract wasn’t renewed following the 2008 season, she worked at Bradley as an assistant and recruiting coordinator in 2009.

While Mueller has been in volleyball, she has built a good relationship with Dunbar.
“I think Nancy is somebody I’ve known for 15, 16 years, so there’s that loyalty there,”
 Dunbar said.

At IU, she has worked with the middle blockers in formulating game strategy and
watching film.

The connections Mueller has made through volleyball, she said, really help her as recruiting coordinator for the Hoosiers — the same position she had at Bradley.

“I think the contacts that I’ve made in high school, club, internationally and junior college really helps with recruiting,” Mueller said.

Koncir’s arrival at IU was similar.

Koncir took over on an interim basis because former assistant Chris Kosty left the program before the season to be closer to his family in the Northwest area.

Koncir also played volleyball in college, playing at George Mason and then serving as assistant there from 2004 to 2006.

The last four seasons before coming to IU, Koncir served as head coach at Towson.

At IU, Koncir has worked with the outside hitters, working on improving their game.
“I’ve had a lot of impact with the pin attackers — Kelci Marschall, Lindsay (Enterline), Jade (Henderson), Jordan (Haverly), Ivie (Obeime) — with that group,” Koncir said.

Dunbar said Koncir helps them with timing issues, positioning, shot selections and blocking from the left side. Both coaches play key roles in the development of these
college athletes.

Mueller said she is ambitious with her goals for putting IU on the map as a volleyball school.

“My long term is, on the national scene, to get the Indiana name out there for volleyball,” Mueller said.

Koncir agreed and praised the progress the team has made thus far.

“We are in an excellent position to do some things this program has never done before,” Koncir said.

The assistant coaches are on the same page with Dunbar in creating a competitive
volleyball program.

“I think they get what this is all about, and what I’m trying to build here,” Dunbar said.