Volleyball adds two new coaches to staff
April 5, 2019
After the departure of former App State volleyball associate head coach Chad Willis, who is now the head coach at Georgia Southern University, two members have been added to the volleyball staff by head coach Matt Ginipro for the 2019 season.
Amber Hildebrandt was announced on Jan. 7, and Colby Arrington followed closely after on Jan. 11. Hildebrandt is a former App State assistant coach who left the program to coach at Xavier University for the 2016 and 2017 seasons. She also held a coaching position for Southern Select Volleyball Club in 2018.
Hildebrandt was a four-year letter winner for her alma mater Oakland University, where she volunteered as an assistant coach after graduating in 2013. She also earned all-conference academic honors twice while there.
Amber Hildebrandt returns to coaching at App State after three seasons away, spending 2016 and 2017 with Xavier University and 2018 with Southern Select Volleyball Club.
“I want the players I coach to achieve that feeling of being a champion,” Hildebrandt said. “My goals are to help our players achieve their goals.”
New volleyball assistant Colby Arrington was hired on March 11 and comes to App State after coaching last season at William & Mary.
Arrington is a former assistant coach at The College of William and Mary, and held various positions at James Madison University after graduating from JMU in 2017. He was also a member of the nationally ranked JMU men’s club volleyball team.
He spent three years coaching for Next Revolution Volleyball Club in Roanoke, Virginia, before accepting the position at JMU.
“I’m a competitor and a dreamer. One reason I fell in love with coaching is the opportunity to wake up each morning and compete for a championship,” Arrington said. “I want to push our players to prepare them for those championship moments, but at the same time let them know how much I care.”
App State finished the 2018 season with a 22-9 record overall, 13-3 in conference play. The Mountaineers also advanced to the second round of the Sun Belt Conference tournament after defeating Arkansas State three sets to one. They lost to Texas State three sets to zero.
With the addition of coaches Hildebrandt and Arrington, the App State volleyball team will look to improve on its 2018 conference tournament performance and secure a spot in the NCAA National Championship.
