GREENEVILLE, Tenn. --- Michael Robinson
has been named the new head coach of the Tusculum College
volleyball program announced Director of Athletics Frankie
DeBusk. Robinson becomes the seventh head coach in the
25-year history of volleyball at Tennessee's oldest college.
Robinson, who has served the last three seasons on the Pioneer
coaching staff, takes over the reigns of the program, following the
resignation of Nathan Baker, who accepted the head
coaching position at the University of West Alabama.
"We are pleased that Coach Robinson has accepted this opportunity
to lead our volleyball program," said DeBusk. "We received several
applications and I spoke to many qualified candidates about this
position. Michael is an excellent coach and an outstanding person
that has played an integral part of the success our program has
enjoyed over the past two seasons."
Over the past two years, Robinson has helped the program to a
48-20 record, including a 20-8 mark in the South Atlantic
Conference. In 2006, TC posted a 23-10 showing, a 14-win
improvement from the previous season. TC also posted a 9-5 SAC
record to finish fourth in the league.
But it was in 2007 that the Pioneers showed the most improvement
going 25-10, while establishing a new school record for SAC wins in
a season (11). Tusculum went 11-3 in league play, while finishing
second in the conference, its best ever finish since joining the
SAC in 1998. TC ranked second in the nation in blocks per game and
ninth in team hitting percentage.
That squad boasted the 2007 SAC Player of the Year in
Vivian Lacy, who became the first Tusculum
volleyball player to garner NCAA Division II All-America
distinction. Lacy was named the SAC Player of the Year, while
Alexis Rowles was tabbed the SAC Scholar Athlete
for volleyball. On the 2007 squad alone, four players earned
All-SAC recognition, including: Lacy, Kelsey
Hayden, Katie Luebke and Mariana
Rezende.
While at Tusculum, Robinson's teams have excelled off the
volleyball court, earning the American Volleyball Coaches
Association Team Academic Award.
I'm very excited and grateful for the opportunity to lead the
Tusculum program," Robinson said. "I want to thank Frankie DeBusk
for this opportunity and to Nathan Baker for being an outstanding
mentor and a good friend. Tusculum volleyball has a rich and
storied history and I'm proud to have the responsibility to build
upon the success we have enjoyed both on and off the court these
past two years."
Robinson, a native of Green Mountain, N.C., came to the
Greeneville campus after serving as head volleyball coach at T.C.
Roberson High School in Asheville, N.C. in 2004.
Prior to 2004, Robinson coached six years at South Atlantic
Conference member Mars Hill College. He served as a student
assistant with the Lady Lions from 1998-2000 and as an assistant
coach from 2001-03. During his tenure, Mars Hill boasted six
All-Conference honorees, including 1998 SAC Player of the Year
Nicole Silver and 2001 SAC Freshman of the Year
Sarah Nash.
While at Mars Hill, he assisted with all operations of the
volleyball program, including scouting, filming, weight training,
conditioning and practice coordination.
The 1998 MHC squad posted a 32-6 overall record while capturing
the South Atlantic Conference championship and the SAC Tournament
title. The team tied for fifth in the NCAA Division II Southeast
Region, while Silver led the nation
MICHAEL ROBINSON NAMED TUSCULUM VOLLEYBALL COACH
Posted: Apr 22, 2008