Stephen Beeler, head volleyball coach
Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College (SMWC) head Athletic Director Deanna Bradley has selected Stephen Beeler as the new head volleyball coach. Beeler will serve as SMWC’s head volleyball coach for the first scholarship program. With the expected completion of the new sports and recreation facility, the College adds volleyball as its eighth sport.
Beeler, a native of Terre Haute, Ind., comes to SMWC as the co-founder and director of the Crossroads Volleyball Club (COA) in Terre Haute. Beeler has been involved with the club as a coach and recruiter over the past 16 years. At Terre Haute South High School, he served as the junior varsity coach and varsity assistant coach from 1997 to 2004. From 2004-2009, Beeler was also the head volleyball coach for the Lady Braves and he currently teaches physics.
Coaching youth volleyball since 1999, he brings plenty of experience to the college level. “I have been involved in volleyball in the area for the last 17 years. I coached at Terre Haute South for 13 seasons. I also co-founded COA Volleyball Club 16 years ago and have helped grow it from a team of 11 players to a club with nearly 180 travel players that competes at the national level,” said Beeler.
Beeler’s success at both the club and high school level is evident. At the Crossroads Volleyball Club, Beeler has been responsible for coaching a two-time AAU All-American, qualifying two teams for the Junior Olympics, and coaching two USAAI volleyball athletes. He has also been the first coach in the Wabash Valley to coach in a national tournament. At Terre Haute South, he coached ten players that went on to play collegiate volleyball.
“I am excited to be the first volleyball coach of a scholarship based program at SMWC,” exclaimed Beeler. “It is such a great opportunity to build a quality program from the ground up.”
While volleyball was offered in the fall of 1991, it was not a scholarship program. The new program will compete collegiately in the fall of 2015, which will give Beeler time to recruit student athletes. It will be a challenge says Beeler, but one he looks forward to: “It will be a long process of finding the type of player that has the athletic ability, patience, work ethic, and volleyball IQ to compete at the college level. I expect to spend a lot of time talking to potential recruits this spring and hope to bring in a couple of players next fall that are willing to sit out a year in exchange for being the first scholarship volleyball players in school history.”
Athletic Director Deanna Bradley believes Beeler is the right person for the job and will bring success to a new sports program at SMWC. “We are thrilled to welcome Coach Beeler to The Woods,” said Bradley. “Steve has solid experience in program development and an extensive pipeline for recruitment opportunities. It is exciting to have someone with his background and experience to begin the recruiting responsibilities for the startup of our first scholarship volleyball program here at SMWC.”
Beeler looks forward to the new challenge that awaits him. “I am extremely thankful to Deanna and the school administration for giving me this opportunity. I cannot wait to get started.”