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 next season as a Volunteer Assistant Coach.

“It is such a great opportunity to come back to the VU volleyball program as a coach,” Gentzler said. “Volleyball has been such an important factor in my life for so long and even though I am not able to play anymore, I wasn’t quite ready to be done with the game just yet. When I first had the idea and mentioned it to Coach Sien, I was so excited. I love Vincennes University, the campus, the people and the atmosphere. Overall Vincennes is just a great community to be around.”

“I hope to impact the players in the game of volleyball and also in life,” Gentzler added. “Over my career, I learned that there are many lessons that sports teach you that apply to your daily life. I am looking forward to meeting the girls and watching them grow and improve over their years at Vincennes.”

Gentzler came to Vincennes University 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 home record in 2018.

Gentzler ended her freshman season at VU 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. Gentzler also added 195 kills.

The Trailblazers ended the 2019 season with the most block assists at the NJCAA Division I level with 667 and finished second in total blocks on the year with 448.

Gentzler’s best game came against Walters State in 2019, when she recorded 10 total blocks during the four-set match.

Gentzler would be named to the 2019 Showdown on the Wabash All-Tournament Team and was named Second Team All-Region 24 as a sophomore.

Gentzler would then transfer 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 this past fall to record 239 kills and 89 total blocks as a senior 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 joins the VUVB coaching staff at Vincennes under Head Coach Gary Sien who will be entering his seventh season at VU and Assistant Coach Mike Misner who has been with the VU volleyball program since 2004.

“I first saw Ariana as a player during her junior year of high school and she is one person that I have always enjoyed working with,” VUVB Head Coach Gary Sien said. “Ariana has a great personality and on top of that, she is one of our very own at VU. She played here for two years, graduated and went on to play two more years at West Virginia Tech. What better situation to have, than to bring someone in who has gone through the entire process of being a student-athlete at a two-year school, then a four-year school and was able to earn degrees at both while playing four years of volleyball.”

“Ariana is someone who can help our current athletes learn about the other sides of the game,” Sien added. “That is something that I don’t personally know about, because I never went through that. I was able to tell them what other coaches had told me, but to be able to get first hand advice from someone who went through it is invaluable to our program.”

“Ariana also brings in the experience of really working hard to become one of the top middle hitters in the Region and Nation during her time here,” Sien said. “You don’t become good at blocking just by being tall. There are certain things that we work on and we have a short timetable to do that. You don’t just lead the nation in blocks by accident, there is a lot of work that goes into that. She has a lot of information that she can help share with our current blockers.”

“Assistant Coach Mike Misner, who is entering his 17th season at VU and has worked under four different head coaches at Vincennes really deserves a lot of credit for working with Ariana during her time here,” Sien added. “Bringing Ariana in here, I believe, will be very big for us. Combining her with Coach Misner’s and my experience, along with her being a former player, we will be a very knowledgeable coaching staff.”

“We should have several players next year that are looking to continue on at the four-year level, so Ariana can really contribute in that aspect,” Sien said. “Ariana is someone who played at the NAIA level, knows the level of play at that level and what it takes to play at that level. Coaching wise, her blocking technique is almost flawless, so to have someone like that here that can demonstrate that and to coach that skill is going to be big for us.”

The Vincennes University Volleyball program is coming off a 22-4 season in 2021, which saw the Trailblazers capture their first Region 24 Championship and first Region Championship at the NJCAA Division I level.

The Vincennes University Athletic Department welcomes back Volunteer Assistant Coach Ariana Gentzler and are excited to have her join the VU coaching staff this upcoming season.