Former Xavier standout and Winthrop head coach Sally Polhamus has been named assistant volleyball coach at the University of Florida, head coach Mary Wise announced Friday afternoon.
At Florida, Polhamus will serve as the squad’s offensive coordinator and recruiting coordinator, and will be involved in all aspects of the program.
“We are thrilled Sally will be joining our staff,” Wise said. “Our players and recruits will soon learn what a special person she is. Sally brings head coaching experience, a creative offensive mind and a terrific work-ethic.”
Polhamus has spent the past four seasons as the head coach at Winthrop University in Rock Hill, S.C., where she compiled a career record of 64-59, including an impressive 39-21 mark in Big South Conference play. During that time, her team claimed a share of the 2007 Big South Conference regular-season championship and produced two Big South Players of the Year. In just four seasons at the helm, Polhamus already ranks third all-time in career victories at Winthrop with 64.
“I have incredible respect for Coach Wise and the tradition and family she has created at the University of Florida,” Polhamus said. “I am looking forward to becoming a part of this tremendous staff and assisting in the recruitment, training and guidance of the elite current and future Gator student-athletes.”
Polhamus served as an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator at Georgia Tech from 2002-2006, where she helped the Yellow Jackets to three NCAA Tournament appearances, including a trip to the NCAA Regional Finals in 2003 and another to the NCAA Regional Semifinals in 2004. Georgia Tech claimed two ACC regular-season titles (2003, 2004) and one ACC Tournament Championship (2002) during her tenure.
At Georgia Tech, Polhamus assisted in the development of the team’s outside hitters, while also serving as the Yellow Jackets’ defensive coordinator. During her time in Atlanta, two of her outside hitters earned All-America honors, including Lynnette Moster, who was a three-time All-American from 2002-04.
As the squad’s recruiting coordinator, Polhamus signed five of the top recruiting classes in the Atlantic Coast Conference, including the 2004 class that was rated as high as No. 8 nationally by PrepVolleyball.com.
A member of the 2005 Hall of Fame Class at Xavier University, Polhamus was a four-year letterwinner for the Musketeers from 1993-96. She earned All-Midwestern Collegiate Conference honors in 1993 and 1994 and was a first-team All-Atlantic 10 selection in 1995 and 1996. She finished her career as the Musketeers’ career kills leader (1,749) and ranked second in career digs (1,338). She was the first volleyball player ever to be inducted into her alma mater’s Athletic Hall of Fame.
Polhamus graduated from Xavier in 1997 with a bachelor’s degree in health and physical education. She earned her master’s in educational administration from Dayton in 1999, where she spent three years as the team’s assistant coach and recruiting coordinator.
Prior to joining the staff at Georgia Tech, Polhamus was an assistant coach at Indiana for two seasons.
Polhamus is a member of the American Volleyball Coaches Association, for which she served as the Big South’s representative on the Head Coaches Committee and the NCAA Regional Committee.
Polhamus, a native of Fort Wright, Ky., is married to Stephen Polhamus.
The Polhamus File
Hometown: Fort Wright, Ky.
Family: Husband, Stephen
Education
· Bachelor’s in Health and Physical Education, Xavier (1997)
· Master’s in Educational Administration, Dayton (1999)
Coaching Career
· Dayton: Assistant Coach/Recruiting Coordinator, 1997-99
· Indiana: Assistant Coach, 2000-01
· Georgia Tech: Assistant Coach/Recruiting Coordinator, 2002-06
· Winthrop: Head Coach, 2007-2011
Head Coaching Record: 64-59 (.520), 4 seasons
2007 Winthrop 20-12 11-1 Big South
2008 Winthrop 11-20 7-9 Big South
2009 Winthrop 19-11 11-5 Big South
2010 Winthrop 14-16 10-6 Big South
TOTALS 64-59 39-21 Big South
Playing Career: Xavier, 1993-96