Introducing the New Volleyball Coaching Staff

First-year Head Volleyball Coach Jeremy Garcia wasted no time assembling his staff, tapping into the extensive volleyball network he built through high-level club play and coaching stops at the University of Texas, Penn State, and Duke.

Garcia's first move was bringing in Taylan Cook, a Cal State Northridge men's volleyball alum and former assistant coach, as his primary assistant. Cook, a former Division I libero, will oversee the Hilltoppers' first contact—passing and defense—an area impacted heavily by injuries last season.

"Taylan was a Division I libero and brings a lot of experience playing, coaching, and teaching all ages," Garcia said. "My vision for him is to take over our first contact and elevate that side of our game."

Richard Flores, one of two volunteer assistants, brings both familiarity and local ties. Garcia and Flores grew up competing against each other on the club circuit, and Flores has been coaching nearby at Austin Junior Volleyball.

"We played club volleyball against each other since we were 13 years old," Garcia said. "He was in Austin, I got the job, and the stars aligned. My respect for him stems from his ability to relate to young people."

Also joining the staff is Jayden Nembhard, a former Division I outside hitter who earned Big 12 All-Rookie Team honors at Kansas State before finishing her career at Long Beach State.

"She's someone who's done it all," Garcia said. "She played volleyball at an incredibly high level, achieved success, and will now be a valuable resource for our team."
Rounding out the staff is senior JORDAN CHAPMAN, who transitions from student-athlete to student assistant this fall.

"From the jump, this group has been about wanting change and a different experience," Garcia said. "Our coaching staff is focused on how we can impact these student-athletes the most and create an experience where, when they graduate, they can say these were the best four years of their life so far."
ALTHEA MORRIS: Setting the Tone

Sophomore setter ALTHEA MORRIS emerged as a standout in her debut season, earning All-LSC Honorable Mention and a spot on the LSC All-Freshman Team. This fall, Garcia elevated her role even further by naming her one of the team captains.

"She's the kind of player you can build programs and systems around," Garcia said. "She has the respect of her teammates, and she's going to be able to utilize that a little bit more."

Morris says the transition to Garcia's leadership has been seamless, especially since they share the same position.

"It helps that he was a setter, so it's easy for me to discuss things with him and work through all the details," Morris said.
The Hilltoppers open their season at the Dallas Classic hosted by DBU on Friday, September 5. All matches will be livestreamed on FloCollege. Tickets, campus maps, and visitor information are available on the DBU website.