Date Posted: 8/16/2005

Macon, Ga. - Kennesaw State University athletic director‚ Dr. Dave Waples‚ has announced that Valerie Jones will be the first head coach for the newly established women’s volleyball program beginning in the Fall of 2005.

Jones comes to Kennesaw State after a successful three-year stint as the head coach of Joliet Junior College where she also served as the women’s athletic coordinator and the women’s softball assistant coach. “We are very happy to have Valerie as a part of our staff‚” said KSU athletic director Dr. Dave Waples.

“In addition to being a successful head coach‚ she has Division I experience from being at Northwestern and I am confident she will provide the volleyball program with the proper structure in which to be successful.”

Under Jones‚ the Wolves had a 44-36 record for a .550 winning percentage. In her second season‚ Jones guided JJC to a 25-17 record‚ a Top 10 ranking and a berth in the Region IV championship match. Last season‚ she led Joliet to a 19-19 mark and another berth in the Region IV title match.

With Jones at the helm‚ the 2003 Wolves finished the season with an overall record of 25-17. In addition‚ her team captured a second-place finish in the North Central Community College Conference (N4C) and finished as runner-ups in Region IV.

Prior to arriving at Joliet‚ Jones was the assistant volleyball coach at Northwestern University from 2000-2002. She also coached summer camps‚ recruited‚ handled spring scheduling‚ and served as the community service liaison.

“I am very excited about joining the coaching staff at Kennesaw State‚” said Jones. “The University and the athletic program have such a strong history and I look forward to the opportunity afforded me by Dr. Waples and the administration.”

Jones will build the women’s volleyball program from scratch as did Rob King with the women’s soccer program in 2002.

“I know the athletic program’s reputation for winning‚” added Jones. “I am going to run a quality program with top-notch student-athletes. We will be dedicated to being successful on the court and in the classroom. We will also focus on getting Kennesaw State volleyball on the scene both locally and nationally.”

Jones and the Owls will begin play in the Atlantic Sun Conference in the fall of 2006 after spending this season recruiting and laying the foundation for the program.

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