PULLMAN, Wash. — Washington State Women's Volleyball Head Coach Korey Schoreder announced the final addition to his 2024 coaching staff as the team announced Wednesday the hiring of Assistant Coach
Kristin Watson, who makes the move the Palouse following two seasons with Texas A&M Corpus Christi.
"Kristin has put herself in a position to learn from high-level coaches and programs in her career, and I'm excited for her to bring those experiences to Washington State," said Schroeder.
"I am grateful to join the Washington State staff and begin building my relationships with former, current, and future Cougars," said Watson. "It was evident throughout my conversations with Korey that he cares about people first and strives for excellence. I'm looking forward to getting to work with our high-character student-athletes as we embark in the new challenge of competing in the West Coast Conference this Fall," said Watson.
Watson makes the move the Pullman following two seasons on the volleyball staff coach at Texas A&M Corpus Christi.
In Corpus Christi, Watson was a part of back-to-back runner-up finishes in the Southland Conference including a 2023 season that saw the Islanders win 15 of their final 16 matches in the regular season to finish with a 16-2 league record. The Islanders had a trio of AVCA All-Region performers during Watson's time on the sidelines — Belle Morgan (setter), Kyndal Payne (outside), and Carissa Barnes (libero) — with Payne earning back-to-back AVCA All-America honors in 2022 and 2023, respectively.
Prior to her time at in the Southland Conference, Watson was the Director of Volleyball Operations at Bowling Green for one season where she helped the Falcons to a 21-9 overall record and MAC East Division title in 2021.
Watson got her start in collegiate coaching as a women's volleyball graduate assistant at Hood College from 2019-21 where she graduated from Hood College with a master's degree in interdisciplinary studies of human behavior in May of 2021. Watson was later chosen as one of only four recipients of the 2021 AVCA Coaches 4 Coaches scholarship.
On the court, Watson was a standout player in the America East Conference where she was voted the 2016 Defensive Specialist of the Year while playing for the University of Maryland Baltimore County (UMBC). She was a two-year captain, a two-time all-conference selection, won the UMBC Athletics Gritty Award for breakthrough athletes, and was an America East Volleyball All-Academic Team honoree for her work in the classroom.
"It was clear in my conversations with Kristin that her values align with the rest of our coaching staff's," said Schroeder. "She believes in challenging student-athletes to compete at their best, while also supporting them when things are hardest. From what I already know of Kristin she is loyal, relatable, and committed to a growth-mindset as a person and coach. Kristin joining us immediately elevates our program, and I'm excited for her to be here in Pullman."
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