KELLY NAMED BELOIT COLLEGE VOLLEYBALL COACH
June 4 , 2007

Beloit, WI -- Dawn Kelly, a former head coach at the University of Rochester and an alum of the University of Wisconsin Volleyball program, has been named  the Head Volleyball Coach at Beloit College.  The announcement was made on Monday by Director of Athletics Kim Chandler.

“I am pleased to welcome Dawn Kelly to the coaching staff at Beloit College,” said Chandler.  “Her experiences as a coach and student-athlete are exemplary.  I am confident that Dawn’s leadership, energy and experience will provide the necessary stability to continue to elevate the Buccaneer Volleyball program as a premiere contender in the Midwest Conference and in the NCAA.”

Kelly comes to Beloit from St. John's School in Houston, Texas, where she has been the Head Volleyball Coach and Assistant Track & Field and Soccer Coach since 2003.  During her tenure at St. John's, she transformed the Volleyball squad from a team that just got in to post-season play to the top-seeded team this past season, posting the best record in the history of the program at the school.  As the leader of the Volleyball program, she managed a staff of eight coaches and oversaw eight Volleyball teams.

“I am excited about the opportunity to work at Beloit College because of its high standards for the student-athletes both in the classroom and in the gym," said Kelly.  "I am especially looking forward to coaching a team that is coming off a conference championship."

Prior to St. John's, Kelly was the Head Volleyball Coach for four seasons at the University of Rochester in Rochester, New York, leading the team into the NCAA Tournament in her final season.  She was also a Volleyball and Athletic Development Intern at Princeton University for one season, assisting both the women's and men's NCAA Tournament teams. 

A 1997 graduate of Wisconsin, she earned her Bachelors degree in Arts and English.  A walk-on for the Badger Volleyball team, she earned a full athletic scholarship and was a three-time Academic All-Big Ten selection.  She has started work on a Masters degree in Human Development.

"It is my intention to help Buccaneer Volleyball reach its goals, which are both lofty and attainable," said Kelly.  "Having been involved in programs at the Division I and III level as well as high school, I have had to wear many hats and have learned to do many things that I may not have learned otherwise.  I look forward to bringing all those experiences to the student-athletes at Beloit."

Beloit College is a residential, liberal arts college offering 40 majors to its 1,250 students.  Located 90 miles northwest of Chicago, Beloit is one of the nation’s most international colleges, drawing students from 41 nations as well as 49 states.