VINCENNES, Ind. – Former Vincennes University Trailblazer and 2019 NJCAA Division I leader in blocks and block assists Ariana Gentzler is set to join the VUVB coaching staff this season as an Assistant Coach.
“Joining the VUVB coaching staff is a special feeling,” Gentzler said. “When Coach Sien asked me to join the staff as an Assistant, it was an easy answer. I have a ton of great memories from playing at Vincennes and I am excited to make more on the coaching side.”
“We couldn’t have a better person coming into this position,” VUVB Head Coach Gary Sien said. “Ariana has already been a coach here for one season in 2022. I would have loved if she could have come back a year earlier to assist, but it’s still definitely great to have her, both as someone who grew up in the program and as someone who I have really known since she was 16.”
“It’s nice to have that person on the staff who wanted to come here and be a middle hitter and have all these experiences of being an athlete at Vincennes University,” Sien added. “Getting her associate’s degree at VU and then transferring to get her bachelor’s degree at West Virginia Tech. She’s just a great example for our team to look at and will really be able to help out our sophomores and show them what it takes to achieve all of those things.”
“Volleyball wise, Ariana is a very experienced middle blocker and middle hitter,” Sien said. “She will be working mostly with our middles, which is good because we worked really hard with our middles during the Spring season and we are looking for our two returning middles to have big seasons now that Ariana is here.”
Gentzler came to Vincennes after a stellar high school career at Paxton-Buckley-Loda High School, where she earned All-Sangamon Valley Conference honors.
Gentzler joined the Trailblazers in the fall of 2018 and made an immediate impact, guiding the Blazers to a 27-13 record, with a 12-3 record at home.
Gentzler ended her freshman season with 226 kills, good for third most on the team and a team-leading 100 total blocks and 84 block assists.
Gentzler came back even stronger in her sophomore campaign, leading the nation in blocks with 208 total blocks and 179 block assists, while also adding 195 kills.
Gentzler was named to the 2019 Showdown on the Wabash All-Tournament Team and was named Second Team All-Region 24 as a sophomore.
Gentzler then transferred to play her final two seasons at NAIA West Virginia University Tech in Beckley, W.V.
Gentzler would record 80 kills and 47 total blocks in a shortened 2020 season, before coming back as a senior to record 239 kills and 89 total blocks for the Golden Bears.
Gentzler received Second Team All-River States Conference honors as a junior and received the 2021 River States Conference Champion of Character Award as a senior.
Gentzler was also twice named the West Virginia University Tech Athlete of the Week.
Gentzler returned to the sidelines for the Blazers for the 2022 season as a Volunteer Assistant Coach and helped guide VU to their second straight Region 24 Championship.
“I want the girls to be able to come to me not only for advice on volleyball, but for academics and any other struggles they might be having,” Gentzler added. “Another thing I hope to pass along is having accountability. It’s okay to make mistakes, it’s what you do after that matters. Don’t beat yourself up over an error, everyone makes them, just keep working on getting better on the next play.”
“Also to be coachable and take constructive criticism, whether it’s from Coach Sien, myself, or one of your teammates trying to help you out,” Gentzler said. “Use the info to get better. Be a leader and motivate each other. Success starts in the classroom. If you are a good student, it makes you an even better athlete. I had to overcome some injuries. I had to learn patience and trust and to lean on my team for support. I learned how to be a good teammate and how to lead and support my team both on and off the court.”
“I learned how to work harder to be better so I could continue playing the sport I love,” Gentzler added. “I am hoping to pass this on to the players. This team is not just a team, but a family. They are here to support you through the ups and downs of not just volleyball, but life too. They will always have your back. I developed lifelong friendships at VU and I want that for my players as well. I can’t wait to see what this season brings.”
“I feel like the best situation for any coach in any sport at any level is to bring back alumni to coach,” Sien said. “Of course, they are the ones that have the experiences of the sport side but when you talk about the academic part or the social part of being a student-athlete, that’s something us coaches only have a small idea of because we weren’t students here and I think Ariana will help with those aspects of being a student-athlete at VU as well.”
The Vincennes University Volleyball team is off to a great start to the 2024 season, opening the season with a 3-0 record and a 3-0 record against Region 24 opponents.
The Trailblazers will be on the road this weekend as they travel to Perrysburg, Ohio to take part in the 2024 Owens C.C. Tournament.
VU will open the weekend tournament Friday, Aug. 30 against Mott Community College at 10 a.m. eastern, before taking on NJCAA Division II No. 8-ranked Richard Bland College at 1:30 p.m. eastern Friday.
Vincennes will then close out the weekend slate Saturday, Aug. 31 against Southwestern Michigan Community College at 9 a.m. eastern before taking on Danville Area at 12:30 p.m.
