Mankato, Minn. --- Minnesota State Director of Athletics Kevin Buisman has announced that Corey Phelps has been selected as head coach of the Maverick women's volleyball program.

"We are extremely excited to announce that Corey Phelps has been selected as the new head coach of our women's volleyball program," said Buisman. "Corey offers a portfolio that includes extensive coaching experience and his well-established network and extensive knowledge of the regional talent base will be an asset to our future recruitment efforts. During his time at Minnesota State, he has already established strong relationships with our current roster of student-athletes, and I know they are looking forward to working with him in this new role.  I believe our volleyball program is positioned to compete at the conference, regional, and national levels and I am confident Coach Phelps' leadership will continue to move us in that direction."

Phelps, who has coaching experience at the NCAA DII, DIII and open club levels, joined the Mavericks as an assistant coach prior to the start of the 2019 season and has served as the program's interim head coach for the last year and a half.  

He served as the head coach of the women's volleyball program at St. Catherine's from 2010-16 and during his six years in charge of the Wildcats, had five all-conference players, one all-region performer and one Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Defensive Player of the Year.  The program was also honored with the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) team academic award seven times. In addition to two seasons as an assistant coach at Wisconsin-River Falls, Phelps also was an instructor at the Falcons' summer volleyball camps and served the campus community as a Health Education Coordinator.  The Independence, Mo., native spent four seasons as the top assistant coach at UM-Morris and six years as an assistant coach at St. Mary's University in Winona.  At both institutions he also worked with the institution's intramural sports programs.

Phelps played collegiate volleyball at Graceland University in Lamoni, Iowa where he was team captain for the Yellowjackets.  In addition to earning all-conference honors as an outside hitter, Phelps helped lead Graceland to a spot in the national tournament, where they posted a second-place finish. The 1995 Graceland graduate earned a Master of Arts Degree in Human Development from St. Mary's University in 2010.

"It is difficult to put into words how excited I am to be named the next head volleyball coach," said Phelps "I would like to thank Kevin Buisman and the hiring committee for this incredible opportunity. I look forward to working with Minnesota State's great coaching staff and student-athletes in building on the success the volleyball program has seen in the past. My family and I are thrilled to remain a part of the Maverick Family and we look forward to adding to the greatness Minnesota State has grown accustomed to."

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