Introducing Our Coaching Team!

We are thrilled to introduce you to our coaching staff for the 2023-2024 season here at Raleigh Volleyball. Our coaches bring extensive experience to the table, with many having competed at the collegiate level. Rest assured that all our coaches are Certified USAV Members who have undergone essential training, including Impact (safe sport) training.

If you ever have any concerns or questions about any of our coaches, please don't hesitate to reach out to Beth. We're here to help and provide you with the information you need. Thank you for being a part of our community!

A Reminder of our Policy:
Please be aware that a strict policy against smoking, drug use, and alcohol consumption is in place for both players and coaches at Raleigh Volleyball Club. Your adherence to this policy helps us maintain a safe and respectful environment for everyone involved.

All our coaches have successfully completed and passed comprehensive background checks as per the background screening policy of USA Volleyball and our regional regulations. Your safety and well-being are our top priorities, and we are committed to maintaining a secure environment for all participants.
BACKGROUND SCREENING POLICY OF USA VOLLEYBALL AND REGIONAL

We are actively seeking coaches who are enthusiastic, passionate and experienced in their field. If you fit this description and are interested in joining our team, kindly send your bio and resume to Beth via email. We look forward to hearing from potential candidates who share our dedication to the sport and its players.

Leigh Mullins has been coaching college volleyball for 21 years. Head volleyball coach at Campbell University from 2009-2013. She was the head coach at Northwestern (La.) State University for four years (2002-2005) and three seasons at Neosho County (Kan.) Community College (1998-2000). Mullins led Northwestern State to its three best seasons in 19 years of Southland Conference.

Mullins posted a 96-36 coaching record in three seasons as head coach at Neosho County (Kan.) Community College before moving to Northwestern in 2002 as an assistant coach. While at Neosho County, 14 of her athletes were named to all-conference teams, and six gained all-region honors. She was named the 2000 Jayhawk Conference Coach of the Year.

A 1996 graduate of Dickinson (N.D.) State University, with a B.S. in physical education, Mullins captained a conference and nationally-ranked volleyball team. She earned all-league honors in both volleyball and basketball, while also qualifying for the national championships on the track in the heptathlon.

She began her coaching career as a student assistant at Dickinson State in 1996-97 before moving to Division II Northern State (S.D.) as an assistant in 1997-98. Mullins earned her Master of Science in teaching and learning from Northern State in 1998.

• Originally from Jacksonville, NC I graduated from Northside high school and went on to play travel club ball at NC State where I earned my BA in Psychology and MAT in teaching. 
• I served as a setter/OH on Northside’s Varsity Volleyball team for 4 years and as a Defensive specialist for NC State. 
• I’ve coached Varsity volleyball for 7 years at both Northside High school and Rolesville HIgh school.  I also coached at Topsail Volleyball Club for 2 years before moving to Raleigh, NC. 
• What I love most about coaching is watching athletes as they build their skills and self-confidence. 
• I love experiencing that moment where an individual athlete or team accomplishes something that they’ve been working so hard on and seeing how proud they are of themselves and their teammates.

Coach Nelson was born in Quito, Ecuador, and started his volleyball career at the age of 14. He began playing in middle school and continued playing JV and Varsity volleyball for the American School of Quito, where he was the captain and MVP of his junior and senior years. 

During the school off-season, he dedicated his time to playing volleyball at the national/open level for his provincial team, Pichincha. Coach Nelson was an Ecuador Junior National Champion and Junior National Team player in the mid-late 90s.

After graduating from high school, he played club and won two provincial championships. In 2003, after graduating from Universidad San Fransico de Quito with a B.S. Industrial Chemistry and a B.S. in Chemical Engineering, he moved to West Lafayette, Indiana, and started attending Purdue University, pursuing a Ph.D. in Organic Chemistry.

During this time, Coach Nelson played intramural volleyball at the school. He relocated to North Carolina in 2013 to become a professor at NC State University as part of the Chancellor Excellence Program. In 2018, he started coaching Middle School volleyball at the Montessori School of Raleigh and continues developing players.

In the summer of 2023, he attended the Gold Medal Squared Coaching Clinic with coaches Make Wall and Luka Slabe to continue developing his coaching skills and sharing his passion for volleyball with the young upcoming players.

Alexandra Mercer a.k.a. “Coach Alex” 

In 2005 & 2006, her high-school team Liberty Highschool Competed in the Maryland State Championship finishing 4th & 2nd -  receiving the All-County and Conference recognitions. 

After high school, she competed at Stevenson University for 4 years. During Alex’s collegiate career as a Middle Hitter where she set a career record of 356 blocks and career record holder of over 1,000k (1057) | 2007-2010 seasons having won MVP, and Gold Award & graduated in 2011 with her Bachelor of Science degree in Computer Information Systems (Computer Forensics, Network Security). 

After Graduation, she entered the US. Army National Guard and was selected to compete in the 2012 Indoor Volleyball Armed Forces Championship in Great Lakes, Illinois. Today she is currently working as Solutions Architect at Ivanti, Inc.  For over 10 years she has brought her passion and love for the game to youth athletes in many teams, clubs, and summer camps.  Alex enjoys family time & spending time with her pet Freckles.

Coaching Experience Summary

1. Maryland    – [2004-2011]   SpikeIt Volleyball Camps, Stevenson University Hosted Camps
2. N.Carolina  - [2012]              Army Team (Fort Bragg) 
3. Georgia       – [2012-2013]   GA5 Club 16’s,
4. Florida         – [2013-2015]   OPU 13’s, Camps for U13, Private Lessons, AAU Championships
5. California    – [2017-2019]   MVVC 16’s & Eclipse 17’s, Various Camps, Running Tryouts, Private Lessons, Various Camps in offseason for U17

• Grew up in Raleigh, NC where I played Varsity volleyball for 3 years at Neuse Christian Academy where I was captain and MVP my junior and senior years.
• I also played for Raleigh Volleyball Club for 4 years before going on to play two seasons at Montreat College.
• After college volleyball, I started coaching at Neuse Christian Academy in 2020, where I head coached the JV team to two undefeated conference championships. I am also the assistant coach for the Varsity team, which has also won two undefeated conference championships.  I
• have also been coaching club teams in the off-season. I strive not only to coach players to be competitive and great on the court but to teach them to be good teammates and lessons that go beyond just volleyball. 

• I grew up in Indiana and loved playing basketball, volleyball, and softball in high school.   Volleyball quickly became one of my favorites and while attending a college summer camp -I was fortunate enough to land a small scholarship to play at Indiana Wesleyan University in Marion and I graduated with degrees in Christian Education and Psychology. I have coached volleyball for over 20 years. Since 2014 I have been the head volleyball coach at Neuse Christian Academy. I was honored at the conference Coach of the Year in 2015, 2016, and 2021.  One of the greatest joys in my life is the privilege of coaching young ladies and seeing their growth both on and off the court.  
• I have coached club volleyball for 8 years and currently am the assistant director at RVC.
• Mrs. Demorest has a Bachelor of Science in Psychology and Christian Education. She has been in education since 2009 and at NCA since 2014.  In her free time she runs a small design business called Demorest Designs and decorates spaces and runs events. 
• Head coach Neuse Christian Academy Volleyball where they had back to back undefeated in conference seasons and won several other conference championships.  Since taking the position as head coach at NCA, Coach Demorest has maintained winning seasons and has over 100 career wins. 
• RVC 14U, 15U, 17U National teams head coach.

I am originally from Durant, Iowa. I graduated from Durant High School in 2010, where I was a setter, outside hitter, and defensive specialist for the high school team. After graduation, I went to Iowa State University where I played intramurals and obtained my BS in Kinesiology. Since graduating, I have played in many beaches and indoor rec leagues. I coached for two years at Durant High School while studying for my Masters in Sports Administration. I moved to North Carolina four years ago .

•  RVC 13 White Head Coach 2022-23

Coach Shannen brings over a decade's worth of playing experience and is making her coaching debut with RVC this season. She played Varsity throughout HS, as well as on several JO teams in her hometown of Cleveland, Ohio.  

Coach Shannen also attended Syracuse University, where she played club volleyball for all 4 years. Currently, she competes in local beach and grass tournaments through AVP America and adult leagues on the weekends. She loves the game of volleyball and is excited to share her passion with younger athletes.  

•  RVC 13 White Head Coach 2022-23

I grew up in Strafford, Missouri, a small town in the Ozarks. I played volleyball and basketball and ran cross country and track throughout high school. I was a setter in high school as well as during my college career; I played for Mercyhurst University, a D2 now D1 program, in Erie, Pennsylvania, where I graduated in May of 2024 with a degree in psychology and criminal justice! I recently coached a 7th-grade girls' middle school team this past spring in Pennsylvania, and I’m currently serving as a JV coach for Sanderson High School.

I moved to Raleigh in the summer of 2021, so I’m still relatively new to the area since I’ve been away at school. I’ve gotten back into running since my college career ended and will be participating in my first full marathon in November! The one thing I strive to instill in players is to have a growth mindset; this applies to the game of volleyball but also to things outside of the sport. I love being able to help players develop their volleyball ability as well as practical life skills!

Hey parents and players! My name is Lillie Groff. I was born and raised right here in Raleigh, NC. I graduated from Neuse Christian Academy in 2022. In high school.

 I played basketball, soccer, and volleyball (OH/DS). Following that year, I attended Wake Tech and played volleyball there for one year, as a DS and setter. I have been a full-time nanny for about three years, working with kids ages newborn to six years old. Also, I am a soon-to-be bride, so wedding planning is also a big part of my day to day. My favorite things to do are fishing, hanging with friends, playing volleyball, and having a spa day. I cannot express how excited I am for this season.

This will be my third year working with RVC. I have been an assistant coach for four teams for the past two years. (18S, 15S, 15N, 16S) However, I will be taking on the role of head coach this year.

I played club with RVC for two years and learned so much! I am thrilled to create new relationships with both parents and players.

• I grew up in Orlando, Florida, and began playing volleyball in the 8th grade. After I made the team at my middle school, I fell in love with the sport. 

• I graduated from West Orange High School in 2020 and played middle on my varsity team. As a senior, I was named MVP.

• I also played on West Orange High School’s Beach Volleyball Team where we won a state championship in 2018. In 2020, I was named Captain of the team.

• I played 4 years of club volleyball at Top Select Volleyball Academy and Orlando Tampa Volleyball Academy.

• In college, I coached at Vision Volleyball Club in Gainesville Florida.

  • Assistant Mini Club Coach: 15&Under 

  • Head Coach: 14&Under 

• After transferring to the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, I played on the UNCG Women’s Club Volleyball Team.

I’m from Hickory, NC. I just recently moved to Raleigh, NC! I played at Carolina Select Volleyball Club from ages 12-16 and enjoyed my time there. I also played for Carolina Union Volleyball Club in Charlotte, NC from ages 16-18. I played high school ball at Hickory High and Maiden High School.

I just finished playing collegiate volleyball for Lee’s-McRae College in Banner Elk, NC. I was the starting libero since my sophomore year. During my sophomore season, I earned the most digs in a match since 2018 with 41 digs. During my junior year, I earned the First Team All-Conference Title and had the fourth most digs in a single season at LMC standing at 555 digs, and was first in LMC in digs per set at 5.84.
I played my senior year of college at Tusculum University. There I was able to expand my knowledge and level of playing. I gained experience in high-level volleyball through the competition and great coaching.

I used my fifth year at Lees-McRae College. During my last season, I earned the Second Team All-Conference title. My team and I were able to be named the Northwest Division Champions. I am currently second LMC all-time in career digs at 1405, and fourth LMC all-time in career digs per set at 4.27. I led the conference in digs per set and was 27th in the Nation for NCAA D2 digs/set.

I was an assistant coach at Carolina Select Volleyball Club in 2021. I coached 13U-14U. I have volunteered my time during college to help at camps we hosted.
I bring a defensive perspective to the players I’ll be coaching and will teach them essential fundamentals that will help make them better players.
I am super excited to start coaching with the knowledge that I’ve gained throughout my years!

   •    I am originally from Moscow, Idaho and I attended Boise State University where I earned a bachelor of science degree in respiratory therapy in 2022. I moved to Durham, NC to work at Duke University Hospital and have been here for almost two years. 
    •    I played for Club ZZU for 6 years and served as a co-captain for Moscow High School varsity for 2 years. I also played varsity basketball and ran track for MHS.
    •    I was an all-league outside hitter my senior year, and a setter from U12 to U17’s
    •    I have coached middle school basketball, but this will be my first volleyball coaching experience. I am passionate about coaching because I love watching young women grow through volleyball both on and off the court. I can’t wait for a great first season with RVC!

YouTube Volleyball Set and Attack Demo: [Link](https://youtu.be/cWsbMCFYaNk)

Coaching Experience

• Wake Tech Community College (Raleigh, NC):
  Head Volleyball Coach (2008–2010).

• Green Hope High School (Cary, NC):
  Head Volleyball Coach (1998–2007). Led the team to 7 consecutive State Playoff appearances over 9 seasons.

• USAV High-Performance Coach:
  Serving as a High-Performance Coach since 2007.

• Millbrook High School (Raleigh, NC):
  Varsity Coach and JV Head Coach.

• Raleigh Volleyball Club (Raleigh, NC):
  Head Coach for multiple teams, including 14 Silver, 14 White, 13 White, 14 National, 15 National, 16 National, 17 National, and 18 National. Also served as the Head Coach for 14U, 15U, 16U, 17U, and 18U Elite and National levels.

• East Los Angeles College (Los Angeles, CA):
  Men's Varsity College Volleyball team.

• Carolina Juniors Club (Charlotte, NC):
  Director and Coach for 18-Open, 17-Open, WCVC 18-1, CCVC 17-1, and Pulse teams (16-1, 17-1, 18-1).

• NC Challengers:
  Coached 18-1, 18-2 teams.

• Club Red:
  Coached the 18-1 team.

• Cardinal Gibbons High School (Raleigh, NC):
  Coach (1995–1998).

• Ravenscroft High School (Raleigh, NC):
  Coach (1993).

• Career Achievement:
  Amassed over 1000 career wins across various coaching roles.

Background

George Tsai resides in Raleigh, NC, and works full-time as an instructor in Advertising and Graphic Design at Wake Tech. He holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) from the Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, CA.

Assistant Coach

Assistant Coach

• Born and raised in St Louis
• Missouri played high school and club volleyball and won a state
• championship in 2016. Played college volleyball at St Andrews University in Laurinburg North Carolina from 2016 to 2020. Played all four years as a setter and was team captain from
• 2018 to 2020. Was awarded national setter of the week in 2018 and 2nd team all-conference team. Was awarded Mid-South conference
• setter of the week multiple times in 2019 and awarded first team all-
• conference in 2019. After graduating in 2020, transitioned to a graduate assistant collegiate coaching position
• at Mount Mercy University in Cedar
• Rapids Iowa. As a grad assistant, I helped train and coach the women's program from 2020 to 2022 while acquiring a master's in business administration.

Coming soon.