Kelly Wengerter Named Head Women’s Volleyball Coach at AIC
Information Provided By American International Sports
Information
SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (June 9, 2008) – Kelly Wengerter has been
named American International College’s first-ever full-time
women’s volleyball coach, it was announced by Director of
Athletics Richard Bedard. The 12th head coach in the
program’s 34-year history, she has gained a lot of experience
in a short amount of time, both as a coach and a former standout
player at Division II Lock Haven University.
“We’re excited to have Kelly come aboard and believe
she can bring our volleyball program to another level,” said
Bedard. “She has a very strong background as a player and
coach and knows what it will take to win matches.”
Wengerter arrives at AIC after spending two-plus years at Division
III New Jersey City University. She served as an assistant coach
each of the past two seasons and was named the Gothic
Knights’ head coach in April 2008.
Wengerter was involved in all aspects of the NJCU program,
including recruiting, fundraising, directing practices,
coordinating the team’s strength and conditioning program,
player evaluations and academic advising.
The Gothic Knights posted a 61-14 overall record during
Wengerter’s tenure and won the 2007 New Jersey Athletic
Conference regular season title with a perfect 8-0 league record.
NJCU also made two ECAC South Championship Tournament appearances
and won the tournament title in 2006, the first in program
history.
“Becoming a head coach is an exciting experience that I have
been longing for quite some time,” said Wengerter. “I
look forward to working with the current players to build a strong
program. After being an assistant for three years at the college
level, I have been able to gain the experience necessary to be a
successful head coach. I look forward to the start of my first
season as the head coach of the women’s volleyball team at
AIC.”
Wengerter, who is Impact Certified, also served as an assistant
coach at Division III Montclair State University in 2005~and has
worked on the staff of several volleyball camps. In June 2003, she
assisted Coach Rich Pickrell at the Nike Volleyball Camp at Seton
Hall University, and conducted drills at the Lock Haven University
Volleyball Camp in July 2002 and 2003.~
Since 2005, Wengerter has been active as a coach in the Cutshot
Junior Olympic Volleyball Team in Paramus, N.J., serving as head
coach since 2007 after handling assistant coach duties from
2005-06. With the Cutshot program, she played an active role in
club tryouts, evaluating over 150 athletes ages 14-18. In 2008,
Wengerter coached a 16s program that has been ranked as high as No.
10 in the 55-team Garden Empire Volleyball Association. In addition
to working on skills and techniques with the players, she
collaborated with other coaches on practices, clinics and
scrimmages.
A 2005 graduate of Lock Haven, Wengerter majored in sport
administration with a minor in coaching. The libero/defensive
specialist was a four-year member of the Eagles nationally-ranked
volleyball team and served as team captain her junior and senior
seasons. She led the team to Atlantic Regional championships in
2001, 2003 and 2004 and a berth in the national semifinals in 2003.
Lock Haven also captured the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference
title in 2003 and 2004 and owned a 103-44 record during
Wengerter’s playing career. She is currently pursuing a
Master of Arts in teaching with a concentration in elementary
education.
Wengerter also served as a two-year Sports Information Graduate
Assistant at New Jersey City, where she assisted in all aspects of
the office’s operations. She gained additional sales and
marketing experience with the New Jersey Nets as a member of the
Nets Championship Center from January 2006 through May 2006, where
she was a top sales representative and coordinated major
promotional events.
Her father, John Wengerter, has been the head coach of the highly
successful Memorial High School boys and girls teams in West New
York, N.J. since 1983. One of the winningest coaches in state
history, he was elected to the inaugural New Jersey State
Interscholastic Athletic Association Coaches Hall of Fame in 1999.
Wengerter works with her father and younger sister, Casey, as club
coaches at Cutshot.
www.AICYellowJackets.com
Transaction: American International College names
Kelly Wengerter head women’s volleyball coach.
