Charleston, W.Va. – Long-time volleyball coach and associate athletic director Bren Stevens has been named athletic director at the University of Charleston (UC). The announcement was made this morning at a press conference on the UC campus.
A native of Massachusetts, Stevens was recruited to what was then known as Morris Harvey College to play volleyball in 1976. As a player, she won both WVIAC and Mid-West Regional First-Team honors. After stints teaching and coaching in Boston and in Kanawha County, Stevens was recruited to coach the University of Charleston volleyball squad in 1992.
She has held multiple roles at UC, progressing from coaching volleyball and swimming to physical education instructor in 1996, assistant professor of sports administration in 2000, and associate athletic director in 2005. Stevens meanwhile earned a master’s degree in exercise physiology and a doctorate in education administration, putting those skills to work in the classroom and as senior woman administrator in the UC athletic department.
Stevens has coached the Golden Eagles volleyball team for 19 seasons and holds a career record of 506-210. Her teams have made the NCAA volleyball tournament seven times, won the conference title in 1997, 2001 and 2006, and won the conference championship in 2004, 2005 and 2007. She was named WVIAC Coach of the Year three times (1995, 1997, and 2001), and was inducted into the University of Charleston Athletic Hall of Fame in 2006. This year marked the coach’s 500th career win, during UC’s match with Alderson-Broaddus, which puts Stevens 13th on the NCAA Division II list of most wins for active coaches.
Outside the University of Charleston, Stevens is vice chair of the NCAA Division II Management Council, in addition to sitting on several Division II committees, including the Title IX and Advocacy Committee, the Planning and Finance Committee, the Championships Committee, and the Administrative Committee. Closer to home, she has coached the Cross Lanes swim team to 23 consecutive championships.
President Ed Welch is proud to be promoting one of his own into the high-profile position “Because of her experience with the NCAA, Bren Stevens has been working with some of the most talented athletic directors in the country on a variety of issues. We are fortunate that she will be able to bring that national perspective to UC’s program.”
And Stevens feels prepared for the challenge of leading the program and its 15 Division II sports teams.
“Priority number one is to get the Sports & Fitness Center built. We’re also focused on getting our teams into NCAA championships each year. We have a very passionate, intense group of coaches – I understand those relationships and look forward to working with all of them.”
Stevens will assume her duties immediately.
Career Coaching Record:
Year Wins Losses
1993 25 6
1994 27 13
1995 35 7*
1996 35 7
1997 33 6*
1998 26 11*
1999 28 10*
2000 29 11
2001 29 13
2002 24 16
2003 27 13*
2004 31 7*
2005 29 11*
2006 26 8
2007 28 12
2008 16 18
2009 22 14
2010 19 10
2011 17 17
Total 506 210 .707 Winning percentage
*Advanced to NCAA post-season play
