Seattle University head volleyball coach James Finley has announced that Sherisa Livingston, an All-American player at Wisconsin before playing professionally for 10 years, will join the Redhawk volleyball program as an assistant coach, effective later this month.
"We are thrilled to add Sherisa to our staff. She will help us continue the development of a championship culture through hard work and high expectations. We believe Sherisa will be a great fit for our program and department," Finley said.
Last season, Livingston was a volunteer assistant coach at the University of Nebraska, a perennial power that posted a 26-7 overall record, including a 16-4 league record to finish in second place in the competitive Big Ten Conference. The Huskers advanced to the regional final in the NCAA Tournament. Livingston’s primary duties included assisting in the training of the middle blockers.
Livingston was a standout at the University of Wisconsin from 1998 to 2001, helping the Badgers to two Big Ten Conference titles and four NCAA Tournament appearances, including advancing to the championship match in 2000. A three-time All-Big Ten and four-time AVCA All-Region selection, Livingston became the first Badger to earn First Team All-America recognition, a feat she accomplished twice. She graduated from Wisconsin with a Bachelor of Arts degree in history along with the Badger career records in kills (1,912) and hitting percentage (.361). She was inducted into the University of Wisconsin Athletic Hall of Fame in 2007.
A nine-time all-tournament selection, Livingston was a member of the U.S. Junior National Team in 1998 and 1999, and was named the best blocker at the 1999 World Junior Championships. From 2003 to 2013, Livingston played professional volleyball in countries such as Turkey, Italy, Greece, Puerto Rico, the Netherlands, Indonesia, and Spain.
“I picked Seattle University because there is an exciting opportunity to grow the program, build a tradition and help take the team to the next level. I'm excited to work not only with the team but with both Coach Finley and Coach Petrovic,” said Livingston.
Livingston replaces Dan Ahiers, who recently was named head coach at Carson-Newman College in Jefferson City, Tenn.
The Seattle University volleyball team finished with a 9-7 record within the Western Athletic Conference and advanced to the semifinals of the WAC Tournament during the 2013 season. It is expected that 10 players from the 2013 roster will return for the Redhawks for the 2014 campaign.