New Volleyball Coach Already Clicking With Team

The Oberlin women's volleyball team has netted itself a new coach for the upcoming season. Elizabeth Ramsey, a former college standout at the University of Illinois, is taking the helm of the already promising Yeowomen. Ramsey's squad has already begun a training program for next season, hoping that the combination of an early start and new guidance will help solidify their bid for an NCAC championship.

"We've done a complete spring season, which is new to this team," said Ramsey. "They haven't done this in the past. We've done weightlifting, we've been on the court three days a week and we've had five scrimmages. We're also doing jump training. It's a complete program."

Ramsey felt that the team's efforts are going to give the club an added advantage against their competition next year. "It's given all the players an opportunity to improve quite a bit, and they've done that well."

Ramsey is also very pleased with the players she has inherited, even though she had no hand in their selection.

"I was pleasantly surprised [with the players]. I didn't get my own chance to recruit. Most of my pool is from admissions, some from the previous coach. I guess it wasn't a deep pool, but it was a good enough pool. Within the pool there were enough serious players that we put together a very good team."

Director of Athletics and Physical Education Mike Muska is very enthusiastic about the College's latest addition to its coaching staff.

"What was exciting about Leeza was having someone in the area who knew and understood Oberlin, had played against our team on her area club team and who had experience as a national level player at the University of Illinois as well as college coaching experience," said Muska. "It was a natural fit."

Though she's only held the reins for a short while, Ramsey is already proud of her team and their quick adaptation to her coaching style.

"I want to give credit to the players. The reason for [having] this spring season is that as a new coach, I don't want to come in cold. It's been good for them and for me. We've got a new offense. They're familiar with my system, so in August we'll hit the ground running."

Before coming to Oberlin, Ramsey held several assistant coaching positions. In 1990, she coached at the University of Nevada at Reno, and from 1993-1994 she worked at Sonoma State University in California. Her husband, head football coach Jeff Ramsey, has also held posts at these universities.

"This is the third school we've worked at, so it's nice. We want to help each other," said Elizabeth Ramsey.

So is there any rivalry between the coaching couple?

Both coaches agree that there's no competition. "I guess that it's low enough on out priority list that we don't think about it," said Ramsey.