Volleyball Assistant Coach Rachel Wagener

01/01/00 12:00PM

- Rachel Wagener (Maryland, 2006)

After completing an outstanding playing career as a middle blocker at the University of Maryland, Rachel Wagener begins her first season as an assistant coach with William and Mary.

While Wagener will be instrumental in all aspects of the Tribe program, including technical training, scouting, practice planning, video analysis, in-match strategy and recruiting, she will work primarily with the middle blockers.

“We are very excited about Rachel joining the staff,” Head Coach Debbie Hill said. “She played in the Atlantic Coast Conference at a very high level and was extremely successful. She will be invaluable with the middle blockers and helping them improve their play. Additionally, she is a great person and very hard-working.”

One of the most prolific blockers in Terrapin history, Wagener helped lead the team to three ACC championships and was selected as a honorable mention All-American by the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) following her junior and senior seasons. She finished her career as the school record holder for total blocks (649), block assists (565) and career hitting percentage (.341). Additionally, she established the program’s single-season block assists record (177) as a sophomore.

Following her collegiate career, she was one of 16 athletes selected to participate in the First Annual AVP Beach Tryout. Additionally, she was one of eight players chosen for the first-time beach volleyball Collegiate Nationals.

In addition to her All-America recognition at Maryland, Wagener was also named to the 2005 Collegiate Volleyball Update Stellar Spikers Second Team. One of the ACC’s top players throughout her career, she was chosen to the All-ACC First Team as a senior after being tabbed with second-team honors the previous two seasons. During her rookie season with UM, she was tabbed to the ACC All-Freshman Team. She also garnered AVCA All-East Region accolades in 2004 and 2005.

During her senior season, Wagener ranked 11th nationally with 1.61 blocks per game, while her .380 hitting percentage ranked 20th in the country. She also experienced great success as a sophomore when she set UM’s single-season block assists record. That year, she led the ACC in blocks per game (1.50) and became the first Maryland player to register 200 total blocks. Additionally, she ranked first nationally in blocking three times during the season.

Prior to attending Maryland, Wagener had a heralded prep career at Oscar Smith High School in Chesapeake, Va. Highly recruited by a number of Division-I programs, she was selected to attend the USA Volleyball Camp in Louisville, Ky., during the summer of 2000. Additionally, she was a first-team all-district and all-region honoree her final three seasons.

During each of her years at Maryland, Wagener assisted with the Janice Kruger Volleyball Camp.

She earned a bachelor’s degree in kinesiology from Maryland in 2006.