Brevard College Names Anna Wagner Head Volleyball Coach

BREVARD, N.C. – Brevard College Athletic Director Juan Mascaro has announced the hiring of Anna Wagner as the Tornados' next volleyball coach.

"It is my pleasure to welcome Anna to our staff at Brevard College," Mascaro said. "She has excelled at the highest level of the sport, both as a player and as a coach. I look forward to the future of our volleyball program under Anna's leadership."

Wagner comes to Brevard from Appalachian State University in Boone, where she spent the past two years as an assistant coach with the Mountaineers' volleyball program. She was heavily involved in recruiting, team travel, community service, alumni engagement, and working daily with the team's attackers. Middle hitter Lauren Gray finished fourth in the Sun Belt Conference in hitting percentage, while outside hitters Emily Corrigan and Jess Keller finished second and sixth in the league in kills per set.

Wagner coached five all-conference players and one all-conference tournament honoree during her two seasons in Boone and saw 28 student-athletes earn conference academic honor roll accolades. The Mountaineers also earned a pair of team academic awards from the American Volleyball Coaches Association while she was on staff.

"I am extremely excited to begin my journey at Brevard College and I am looking forward to continuing to improve on the success that Kelly [Burdeau] has established," said Wagner. "I want to thank Juan and [Associate Athletic Director] Myranda [Nash] for believing in my abilities as a coach and leader, and for welcoming me to the Brevard community. I also want to thank my friends and family for their support during this transition. Brevard College is a wonderful and unique atmosphere and I can't wait to be a part of it."

Wagner brings several years of Division I playing experience into her first head coaching position. She spent one season at Iowa Western Community College, where she led the team to a fourth-place finish at the NJCAA Division I National Tournament. She then played a season at NCAA Division I Florida Gulf Coast University, where her team finished second in the Atlantic Sun Tournament.

She found a home in Boone, however, as Wagner finished the final two years of her playing career at Appalachian State. She was named to the all-Southern Conference second team and was an academic all-conference selection while being named a team captain.

After earning her Bachelor's degree in Communication Studies from Appalachian State in 2012, she played one season of sand volleyball at the University of North Florida. There, Wagner led the Ospreys to a conference title and earned a spot on the all-tournament team. She went on to earn as Master of Education degree with a specialization in Educational Leadership in December of 2014 while working as an Appalachian State assistant coach.

Wagner takes over the program from Kelly Burdeau, who was named head coach at the University of Arkansas at Monticello on July 23.