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News Release
Brianna Koche Joins UMBC Volleyball Staff as Assistant Coach
6/8/2007
 Brianna Koche will serve as the assistant volleyball coach for the 2007 season. |
BALTIMORE—Brianna Koche, a former Gold Medal Squared Volleyball head coach and captain of the University of California, San Diego women’s volleyball team, has been named assistant women’s volleyball coach at UMBC, head coach Ian Blanchard announced recently.
“[Brianna] comes in with the reputation of one of the most competitive athletes to come through the UCSD program,” said Blanchard. “She has an outstanding understanding of the work and dedication that will be needed to make the program great and she is already familiar with our system which will make the transition period much easier for her and our players. She will be able to make an immediate coaching impact from the first day she attends practice.”
Koche, a December 2006 graduate of UCSD, served as a team captain for the Trojans from 2005-2006, leading her team to a No. 2 seed in the NCAA Division II Pacific Regional, Pacific Region Championship title, and an appearance in NCAA Division II Elite-Eight semifinals. Koche was named to the 2006 NCAA Daktronics First-Team All-America team for her performance in postseason play as well as the NCAA Pacific Region All-Tournament team, California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) All-Conference First-Team, ESPN the Magazine Academic All-District Second-Team, and most recently was named a recipient of the 2006-07 Dr. Hal Charnofsky Memorial Award, which is presented to a male and female student-athlete from each of the 12 CCAA institutions.
Koche also served as a head coach for the Gold Medal Squared Volleyball program during the summer of 2006 where she developed and trained girls ages 13-18 and worked with high school volleyball programs using the methods of established coaches Doug Beal, Carl McGown, and Marv Dunphy.
"I'm really excited to be a part of the volleyball program here at UMBC,” said Koche. “I can't wait to get in the gym and start practicing [with the team].”
Prior to her position at Gold Medal Squared, Koche spent a season as the head coach of the 14-and-under Encinitas Wave Volleyball Club in