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OTTAWA, Kan. – University of Ottawa Director of Volleyball Melissa Blessington is pleased to announce the hiring of Zach Warring as head coach of women’s beach volleyball. “I’m very excited to have Zach in our volleyball program,” Blessington said. “He brings a lot of knowledge and has a great background in beach play. I think he will take our beach program to the next level.” Warring comes to the University of Ottawa from the University of Missouri – Kansas City. In Coach Warring’s first season with the Roos, they posted their fourth 20-win season. The Roos defeated three in-house foes, including the Missouri Tigers, and finished the regular season with victories over Omaha and Denver, who were the No. 1 and 3 seeds, respectively, in the league. As defensive backs coach, Warring helped Kansas City’s Maddie Renn earn Defensive Player of the Year honors, while Renn, De’Janae Arnold, Melanie Brecka and Alli Schomers were named First Team All-Summit. From 2016 to 2020, Warring was an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator at William Jewell College. He enjoyed success as the program’s defensive back and blocker coach, leading Olivia Tolberd to two All-Conference seasons and a program career-high. Still in the defensive realm, Coach Warring helped Haidan Baade in his career-high 40 dig against Southern Indiana. Also, under Warring’s leadership, Elizabeth Quinn rewrote the Cardinals’ blocking records. During his first season with WJC, he helped the team reach its first 10+ win season in four years, an accomplishment the team maintained over the next three seasons. Prior to his stint at William Jewell, Warring was a volunteer assistant coach under head coach Christi Posey in 2015. The Roos went 15-13 on the season and upset the Seattle U in the WAC Quarterfinals to advance to the Semifinals. From 2012 to 2014, Warring served as a volunteer assistant at Johnson County Community College, earning a third-place finish in the NJCAA National Championship and coaching two All-Americans during his tenure. In addition to volleyball coaching, Warring owns his own personal training business, Genesis Fitness KC, and is NASM Certified in Personal Training, Corrective Exercise, and Sports Performance. He was also released as an author in June 2021 with his book, Building a Team of Leaders. Throughout his career as a collegiate volleyball coach, Warring has helped many club teams and athletes achieve their goals. Most recently, his 17-1 MAVS side finished third and earned an international bid in the 2021 club season. He likes to give lessons to club players, both on the sand and indoors. MAVS are a club team based in Lenexa, Kan. “I am incredibly grateful for the opportunity that Melissa, Arabie and the University of Ottawa community as a whole have given me,” Warren said. “A major aspect that draws me to Ottawa is the fact that it has over 100 years of tradition coupled with current strategic plans that will harness innovation in how its community members teach, learn and grow. My goal is to create a culture that fosters young adults to feel confident and comfortable in their own skin, to graduate with the tools needed to be leaders and innovators, for their love of volleyball to grow with each season, and of course, to win championships! Yes, it’s plural. repeat offenders in the charts.” A native of Olathe, Kan., Warring graduated from Olathe Northwest in 2008 before attending the University of Kansas to earn his Bachelor of Biology in 2012 and his Master of Education in 2014. Warring began his official duties on January 16 .
