Volleyball began inauspiciously at the College of Saint Mary in 1972, but no records can be found until 1974 when Shirley Humphrey coached the team to a 3-14 mark.    

  

Rich Hill then coached the next five seasons, with a best record of 12-9 in 1978.  Since then, there have been only seven losing seasons in the 30-year history of the sport at CSM.  In that span, there have been 12, 30-win seasons, 19 seasons with at least 20 wins, and 13-straight seasons with over 20 wins.    

  

From 1996 to 2006, the Flames won every MCAC volleyball crown.  Coach Kathy White started the success with two seasons of 32-11 and 31-12 in 1980 and '81.  Coach Deb Denbeck followed that with four seasons of 101-60 including 36-14 in 1984.  Gwen Egbert (one season), Ron Romine (four seasons), Mary Burash (one season) and Diane Mynster (two seasons) had continued success, and then the modern era of CSM volleyball began.    

  

Coach Paul Giesselmann started slowly at 7-26 and 21-15, but then ran together six years of 165-39 -- including four straight trips to the NAIA national tournament from1998-2001, three Elite Eight finishes, and one Final Four appearance. The Flames were also ranked as high as #2 in both 2000 and 2001.  Giesselmann was the National Coach of the Year in 2000, the only time a Flames coach has won that award.  He left CSM and moved on to Creighton, but he left his player and disciple, Trish Siedlik, in charge to continue the Flame dominance - leading CSM to three, 30-win seasons from 2003-2005 and leading CSM to the national tournament each year from 2003-2005, and an Elite Eight appearance in 2004.    

  

Amanda Hokenson took over in 2006 and took CSM to the Elite Eight again with a 37-9 record.  Hokenson was 50-22 in her first two years as a head coach.  Under Giesselmann, Siedlik and Hoekenson, NAIA All-Americans include first-teamers, Marla Mach, Kristen Lebeda, Lindsey Hill and Jessica Jeseritz.; second-teamers Kristin Blair, Sandy Kirchner, Annie Jankowski; and third-teamer Alison Helgoth.    

  

All Americans under Giesselmann were:  Marla Mach-2 years, Kristen Lebeda-2 years, Jessica Jeseritz-1 year, Ali Helgoth-3rd team one year.  All Americans under Siedlik were:  Marla Mach-2 years, Kristin Blair-2nd team, Sandy Kirchner-2nd team and Christi Huigens-2nd team.  All Americans under Hokenson were: Annie Jankowksi-2nd team and Lindsey Hill-2nd team. 

 

For 2008-'09, new head coach Jenny Madrid takes over the reigns for the team.  

  

Since its beginning, the CSM volleyball team has appeared consistently in the Top 25 - including 58-straight weeks stretching over a period of nine years.    

  

CSM has also been the home of the MCAC player of the year for 10 straight years.  Even more impressive is the academic success of the program with 14-straight AVCA (American Volleyball Coaches Association) team scholar awards - a current national record for all schools.  Throughout its history, the volleyball team has produced 32 Academic All-Americans.