Lions name Chris Willis to volleyball coaching post

Missouri Southern State University Athletics Director Sallie Beard announced today that Chris Willis, who has worked most recently as an assistant coach at NCAA Division I Southwest Missouri State, has been named the Lions new head volleyball coach.

“We are very pleased to have Chris Willis lead our volleyball program,” Beard said. “It’s certainly very apparent that Chris has a passion for volleyball. The search committee realized his passion and also saw that Chris brings a depth of experience in many different aspects of being a head volleyball coach. He has had a wide variety of responsibilities that will serve him well and we think he’ll be an excellent fit.”

Over the last five years, Willis has helped the Southwest Missouri State Bears to an impressive 122-40 record as an assistant coach on Melissa Stokes’ staff. While at SMS, Willis served as the volleyball program’s liaison with the speed, strength and conditioning program and also handled the coaching of the outside hitters and setters. The Bears posted 20 or more victories in each of Willis’ five seasons, including 27-win campaigns in 2000 and 2003.

But now Willis takes the short trip west on Interstate 44 and takes over as the third head volleyball coach in MSSU history.

“The opportunity at Missouri Southern is so appealing to me,” Willis said. “It’s a great school to recruit to. It’s close to where I live and I know the area. Ms. Beard really made me feel welcome at the University. I got the feeling from everybody there that it’s a family atmosphere and we’re all pulling for each other. I am very excited at the chance and I really think it’s a good fit for me right now.”

The prospect of joining an MIAA program is also one that appeals to Willis.

“The MIAA is the top (NCAA) Division II conference in volleyball,” Willis said. “We could be playing top 25 competition every other week and I’m really excited about that.”

Willis has nine years of experience as an assistant coach in the NCAA Division I ranks. Before joining the SMS volleyball staff, he served as assistant coach for two years at Northern Arizona University. While at the Flagstaff, Ariz., institution, Willis was responsible for the development of outside hitters, scouting, game management and assisted with recruiting. The Lumberjacks finished 19-10 in 1997, Willis’ first season, and 18-11 in 1998.

He also worked as an assistant for two seasons at Davidson (N.C.) College, where he coached setters and coordinated the strength & conditioning program.

Willis earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology in 1991 from Baylor University in Waco, Texas. He received his master’s degree in human performance & sport study from the University of Tennessee in 1994. Willis also played on men’s volleyball club teams at both Baylor and Tennessee.

After graduating from Tennessee, the Kirkwood, Mo., native served one season as head coach at Harris-Stowe State College in St. Louis in 1994.

Willis has had two volleyball stints with Athletes in Action. In 1992, he was a player on a team that toured Central America. In the summer of 2002, he was the coach on a men’s team that visited Cameroon.

Willis has worked several volleyball camps since 1995, including clinics at the University of Tennessee, Washington (Mo.) University, University of North Carolina, Davidson, Northern Arizona and SMS. He was also head coach of the USA Volleyball Juniors from 1995-2001 and was an assistant coach at Kirkwood High School in the spring of 1992.

Willis inherits a squad that returns just one starter from 2003, in which the Lions went 17-13 and advanced to the MIAA postseason tournament where they fell to eventual South Central Region finalist Central Missouri State.

He replaces Debbie Traywick who resigned in May after 16 years at the helm of the Lions. Traywick opted to leave collegiate coaching and return to her alma mater, the University of Central Oklahoma, as wellness curriculum coordinator and as assistant professor in the kinesiology department. She compiled a record of 267-262 (.505) as MSSU’s head volleyball coach.

Missouri Southern opens the 2004 campaign on Aug. 27 vs. Christian Brothers (Tenn.) at the Harding Classic in Searcy, Ark. MSSU opens at home on Sept. 18 when Henderson State (Ark.) visits at 11 a.m.


	June 25, 2004 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Lions name Chris Willis to volleyball coaching post Assistant coach at Southwest Missouri State to lead Lions Missouri Southern State University Athletics Director Sallie Beard announced today that Chris Willis, who has worked most recently as an assistant coach at NCAA Division I Southwest Missouri State, has been named the Lions new head volleyball coach. “We are very pleased to have Chris Willis lead our volleyball program,” Beard said. “It’s certainly very apparent that Chris has a passion for volleyball. The search committee realized his passion and also saw that Chris brings a depth of experience in many different aspects of being a head volleyball coach. He has had a wide variety of responsibilities that will serve him well and we think he’ll be an excellent fit.” Over the last five years, Willis has helped the Southwest Missouri State Bears to an impressive 122-40 record as an assistant coach on Melissa Stokes’ staff. While at SMS, Willis served as the volleyball program’s liaison with the speed, strength and conditioning program and also handled the coaching of the outside hitters and setters. The Bears posted 20 or more victories in each of Willis’ five seasons, including 27-win campaigns in 2000 and 2003. But now Willis takes the short trip west on Interstate 44 and takes over as the third head volleyball coach in MSSU history. “The opportunity at Missouri Southern is so appealing to me,” Willis said. “It’s a great school to recruit to. It’s close to where I live and I know the area. Ms. Beard really made me feel welcome at the University. I got the feeling from everybody there that it’s a family atmosphere and we’re all pulling for each other. I am very excited at the chance and I really think it’s a good fit for me right now.” The prospect of joining an MIAA program is also one that appeals to Willis. “The MIAA is the top (NCAA) Division II conference in volleyball,” Willis said. “We could be playing top 25 competition every other week and I’m really excited about that.” Willis has nine years of experience as an assistant coach in the NCAA Division I ranks. Before joining the SMS volleyball staff, he served as assistant coach for two years at Northern Arizona University. While at the Flagstaff, Ariz., institution, Willis was responsible for the development of outside hitters, scouting, game management and assisted with recruiting. The Lumberjacks finished 19-10 in 1997, Willis’ first season, and 18-11 in 1998. He also worked as an assistant for two seasons at Davidson (N.C.) College, where he coached setters and coordinated the strength & conditioning program. Willis earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology in 1991 from Baylor University in Waco, Texas. He received his master’s degree in human performance & sport study from the University of Tennessee in 1994. Willis also played on men’s volleyball club teams at both Baylor and Tennessee. After graduating from Tennessee, the Kirkwood, Mo., native served one season as head coach at Harris-Stowe State College in St. Louis in 1994. Willis has had two volleyball stints with Athletes in Action. In 1992, he was a player on a team that toured Central America. In the summer of 2002, he was the coach on a men’s team that visited Cameroon. Willis has worked several volleyball camps since 1995, including clinics at the University of Tennessee, Washington (Mo.) University, University of North Carolina, Davidson, Northern Arizona and SMS. He was also head coach of the USA Volleyball Juniors from 1995-2001 and was an assistant coach at Kirkwood High School in the spring of 1992. Willis inherits a squad that returns just one starter from 2003, in which the Lions went 17-13 and advanced to the MIAA postseason tournament where they fell to eventual South Central Region finalist Central Missouri State. He replaces Debbie Traywick who resigned in May after 16 years at the helm of the Lions. Traywick opted to leave collegiate coaching and return to her alma mater, the University of Central Oklahoma, as wellness curriculum coordinator and as assistant professor in the kinesiology department. She compiled a record of 267-262 (.505) as MSSU’s head volleyball coach. Missouri Southern opens the 2004 campaign on Aug. 27 vs. Christian Brothers (Tenn.) at the Harding Classic in Searcy, Ark. MSSU opens at home on Sept. 18 when Henderson State (Ark.) visits at 11 a.m.