Minnesota head coach Keegan Cook has announced the addition of Nellie Coleman (Spicer) as the team’s general manager and assistant coach. The position is the first of its kind in NCAA volleyball and serves to help Minnesota volleyball transition into the modern era of collegiate athletics.
“Nellie is uniquely qualified to advise, guide and mentor our student athletes in the rapidly changing landscape of collegiate athletics,” said head coach Keegan Cook. “I’m thankful to the University of Minnesota for allowing us to create an entirely new position that can meet demands of modern-day roster management. I’m looking forward to partnering with Nellie as we support our recruits, current student-athletes, and Gopher alumni as they strive for success and create meaning in their volleyball journeys.”
A former member of the U.S. National Team (2008-13), Coleman also played professionally for five years (2009-14). She was a three-time First Team AVCA All-American as a setter at UCLA from 2005-09.
Coleman earned her first coaching experience as an assistant at Portland University from 2014-16. She then spent the 2017 season as a director of operations at Arizona State. Coleman has not worked in collegiate athletics since 2017 as she worked to raise her three children.
“As someone from the Midwest with a deep appreciation for the history and traditions of Minnesota volleyball, I recognize that it is both an honor and a privilege to represent this program and university,” Coleman said. “These are pivotal years for these student-athletes so I can’t wait to continue to help them excel on and off the court.”
A Barrington, Ill., native, Coleman followed an All-American career as a setter at UCLA (2005-09) with a five-year stint on the U.S. Women’s National Team. With Team USA, Coleman helped the team earn a bronze medal at the 2011 Pan American Cup, a silver at the Montreux Volley Masters in 2010, a gold at the 2010 FIVB World Grand Prix and a silver at the 2009 Final Four Intercontinental Cup.
In her five-year professional career, Coleman played with the Shanghai Volleyball Club in the Chinese Volleyball Association in 2013-14. Before that, she played two years in the Azerbaijan Volleyball League for both the Lokomotiv and Rabita Baku Volleyball Clubs. She helped Rabita Baku claim a league title and finish fifth in the Champions League in 2012. Prior to that, Coleman spent a year playing pro in Poland and a year playing in Puerto Rico.
“I am excited to work alongside Keegan and the rest of the staff to continue empowering these student-athletes and contributing to the legacy within Gopher Athletics,” she said. “I’m thankful to Mark Coyle, Julie Manning, Keegan Cook and the rest of the athletic department for giving me this opportunity.”
At UCLA, Coleman, who was then Nellie Spicer, was a three-time AVCA First Team All-American and a three-time all-region selection. She landed on the All-Pac-10 Team four times and was named to the league’s all-freshman team in 2005. She finished her career ranked second all-time at UCLA with 6,000 assists and ranks sixth in digs with 1,299.
Spicer helped lead the Bruins to a Final Four, an Elite Eight and two Sweet 16s during her time in Westwood.
“I’m thrilled to bring an outstanding coach and person back into the collegiate volleyball space here at the University of Minnesota,” said Cook. “We’re excited to welcome Nellie, her husband Anthony, and kids Avery, Cade and Mila Coleman to the Gopher volleyball community.”
(info courtesy of Gopher Sports)