TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – Stillman College is reinstating its women’s volleyball program beginning this fall, Director of Athletics Terrance Whittle announced. Joel Penfield has been named head coach of the program, in addition to his duties as Stillman softball head coach.
‘We are extremely excited to return women’s volleyball to our cohort of sport sponsorship, and we are elated that Coach Joel Penfield will be serving as our head coach of the return here at Stillman College. We believe his past experience, knowledge of the area and players, commitment to academics and his championship success as a volleyball coach will serve our program and student-athletes well.”
Prior to coming to Stillman in 2017, Penfield served as Girls’ Athletic Director at Bessemer Academy from 2010-2017 while serving as head coach for girls’ basketball, volleyball and softball. In his second season as head volleyball coach, Bessemer Academy won the AISA Class 3A state title in 2013. The team made five state semifinal appearances during his tenure and he was a five-time AISA All-Stars coach. He also coached Bessemer Academy to an AISA Class 3A girls’ basketball state title in 2015 and was an assistant football coach for three state titles.
“I’m looking forward to it. There has been a lot of interest on campus the last couple of years and people asking about it. I’m excited to get back into volleyball. It will be for the school to get it started back up,” Penfield said.
Stillman will become the 10th team competing in the Southern States Athletic Conference. The program previously competed in women’s volleyball as a member of the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference and NCAA Division II through the 2015 season. The program first began in the mid-1970s, coached by Dr. Bettie Smith. Like Penfield, three of the last four volleyball coaches also coached another sport. Pam Phillips also coached softball and volleyball at Stillman, while Jake Irby and Sherri Harris coached women’s basketball and volleyball.
The 2022 volleyball schedule currently includes only the 18-match Southern States Athletics Conference schedule, which begins Sept. 9 at the University of Mobile. The first home match in Birthright Alumni Hall will be Sept. 13 against Blue Mountain College, which begins a three-match home stand.
Brewton-Parker, Blue Mountain, Faulkner, Life University, Loyola, Middle Georgia, Mobile, Talladega and William Carey are the other SSAC volleyball programs.
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