| Title: | Head Volleyball Coach |
| Phone: | (423) 636-7328 |
| Email: | mrobinson@tusculum.edu |
| Alma Mater: | Mars Hill, 2000 |
Michael Robinson is entering his 11th season at the helm of the Tusculum University volleyball program. Robinson took over the program in spring of 2008, becoming the ninth head coach in the history of volleyball at Tennessee’s most historic university.
It has been an outstanding run for Robinson in his first 10 years as Tusculum’s head coach. He has amassed a solid 182-132 record, giving him the second-highest victory tally in school history. He has mentored 23 All-South Atlantic Conference honorees, seven All-Region selections, two SAC Freshmen of the Year, 10 SAC All-Freshman picks and two All-Americans including three-time honoree Caitlyn Dean (2010, 2011, 2013).
His 112 wins in South Atlantic Conference play are the fourth-most in league history, while his 182 overall victories are sixth in the SAC record book.
He has guided the Pioneers to the SAC Tournament championship match twice, while advancing to the NCAA Division II Tournament five times.
The 2015 Pioneers boasted a second-team D2CCA All-American in freshman Melissa Mazur, who was the NCAA statistical champion in digs per set with an average of 6.84. Mazur was joined on the All-SAC team by junior Rachel Garnett, who averaged a team-best 2.86 kills per set. Included in the team's 11 victories was a five-set triumph over 25th-ranked Armstrong State in the season opener, which snapped a 28-match home winning streak for the Pirates and marked the Pioneers' first regular-season win over a ranked opponent since 2011.
In 2014, the Pioneers earned their ninth straight winning season after compiling a 16-15 overall record and a 15-7 mark in the SAC. After facing off against four nationally ranked teams to begin the season, TC put together a nine-match winning streak and won six of it's last seven regular season matches to finish fifth in the league standings. Four Pioneers landed on the All-SAC squad led by first team libero selection Moriah Jones. Megan Hasse was a second team honoree while Rachel Garnett and Laryssa Welch earned honorable mention recognition. Welch was also named to the All-Freshman team.
In 2013, Tusculum recorded a 21-11 worksheet for the program's eighth consecutive winning season and third 20-win campaign in four years. Dean led the charge once again earning All-SAC and All-Region accolades for a fourth straight year, while becoming NCAA Division II's all-time leader with 3,184 digs. Garnett was selected as the SAC Freshman of the Year, while Kassie Voelker (second team) and Hasse (honorable mention) also garnered All-SAC distinction. TU opened the season with a five-match winning streak, including a thrilling five-set victory over 25th-ranked Palm Beach Atlantic.
Off the court, setter Ashley Sarmiento was tabbed the SAC Volleyball Scholar Athlete of the Year for a second straight season and Dean earned a spot on the CoSIDA Academic All-America® third team. Sarmiento also repeated as the winner of the SAC Presidents' Award, the highest student-athlete honor presented by the conference.
In 2012, Robinson put together one of the best seasons since Tusculum became a NCAA II member. The Pioneers posted a 24-8 overall record, including 14-4 in the South Atlantic Conference to finish runner-up in the league standings for the second time in three years. Included in that victory tally was a 3-1 road win at 16th-ranked Wingate on Sep. 15, 2012, snapping the Bulldogs' 83-match SAC winning streak, a span covering nearly six seasons.
On Oct. 30, 2012, Robinson became only the second Tusculum volleyball coach to record 100 career wins as the Pioneers posted a 3-1 victory at Carson-Newman.
The win over C-N was part of a nine-match winning streak as Tusculum marched its way to the SAC Tournament title match, before falling in a five-set marathon against Wingate.
TU earned the fourth-seed in the NCAA II Southeast Regional, held in Savannah, Georgia. TU outlasted Lincoln Memorial in a five-set battle and followed with a stunning 3-1 upset over top-seeded Armstrong on the Pirates' home floor to advance to the NCAA Sweet 16 for the first time in program history. The Pioneers rallied from a set down to defeat Armstrong. For his efforts, Robinson was named SAC Coach of the Year for the second time in three seasons.
Dean paced the Pioneers as she led the entire nation in digs for a second time in three years. Dean broke her previous DII mark with 932 digs, averaging 7.77 per frame, which is also a new NCAA-best. In all, four Pioneers earned All-SAC honors, including Dean and Voelker on the first team, while Sarmiento and Alyssa Raterman garnered All-SAC second team recognition.
In 2011, Tusculum posted an 18-13 overall record for the program’s sixth straight winning campaign. The Pioneers finished fourth in the league with the help of All-SAC first team selections Dean and outside hitter Sam Underwood.
His 2010 squad posted an impressive 25-7 worksheet, including a school record 16-2 mark in SAC play. TU tallied a 10-game winning streak and a stellar 10-1 record at home, including an eight-game winning trend at Pioneer Arena to end the season. Four Tusculum players garnered All-SAC recognition, including rookie setter Ashley Sarmiento, who was named Conference Freshman of the Year.
The Pioneers made a strong late-season run, winning their last five regular-season outings and won two more in the Food Lion SAC Tournament to punch its ticket for the championship match for the first-time ever. TU’s win in the SAC Tournament semifinal was monumental as the Pioneers rallied from two-set deficit to claim a 3-2 marathon win over Lincoln Memorial.
The strong showing on the year led the Pioneers to a NCAA Tournament bid and their second straight trip to the national postseason.
Sarmiento was also named the Southeast Region Freshman of the Year, while Dean and middle-hitter Alyssa Raterman garnered All-Region accolades as well. Dean’s season was monumental as she established national records in defense, as she led the country with a NCAA II-best 7.1 digs per set.
For his efforts, Robinson was selected as SAC Coach of the Year, becoming the first Tusculum skipper to earn the honor.
Robinson’s first year as head coach at Tusculum was a successful one as the Pioneers posted a 22-11 record, while earning the program its first NCAA Division II regional ranking. He mentored one All-South Atlantic Conference performer (Katie Luebke), while two of his rookies were selected to the SAC All-Freshman Team (Carly Swisher, Peyton Colclough).
In his inaugural season as head coach, the Pioneers won six of their first eight matches, including Robinson’s first-ever collegiate victory against Belmont Abbey on Aug. 30, 2008. He led TC to a seven-match winning streak as the squad finished fourth in the conference.
He posted his second straight winning season for the Pioneers in 2009 as his squad went 18-15 as he guided Tusculum to the program’s first-ever NCAA II Tournament appearance. He mentored All-SAC honoree Gina Coffaro and SAC All-Freshman standouts, Sam Underwood and Bailee Price.
Prior to assuming the head coaching duties, Robinson served the previous three years as an assistant at Tusculum. From 2006-07, Robinson 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 then school record for SAC wins in a season (11). Tusculum went 11-3 in league play, while finishing second in the conference. 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 on multiple occasions, including 2011 as the Pioneers boasted a 3.54 cumulative GPA (2nd highest in the SAC and one of 67 DII programs to earn the honor).
Robinson, a native of Green Mountain, North Carolina, came to the Greeneville campus after serving as head volleyball coach at T.C. Roberson High School in Asheville, North Carolina in 2004.
Prior to 2004, Robinson coached six years at South Atlantic Conference member Mars Hill University. 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 Mars Hill 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 in digs, averaging six per game.
Robinson is a member of the American Volleyball Coaches Association and is active within the organization, serving on the AVCA Assistant Coaches Committee.
Coach Robinson Year-by-Year
Overall SAC SAC SAC / NCAA
Year W L Pct W L Pct Fin Postseason
2008 22 11 .667 9 7 .563 4th NCAA Regional Qtr.
2009 18 15 .545 8 8 .500 5th NCAA Regional Qtr.
2010 25 7 .781 16 2 .889 2nd NCAA Regional Qtr.
2011 18 13 .581 10 8 .556 4th NCAA Regional Qtr.
2012 24 8 .750 14 4 .778 2nd NCAA Regional Semi. (Sweet 16)
2013 21 11 .656 15 7 .682 2nd NCAA Regional Qtr.
2014 16 15 .516 15 7 .682 T4th SAC Tournament Qtr.
2015 11 17 .393 8 14 .364 T9th ---
2016 12 19 .387 7 15 .318 T8th SAC Tournament Qtr.
2017 15 16 .484 10 10 .500 T4th SAC Tournament Qtr.
Total 182 132 .580 112 82 .577
