Jen Greeny led the WSU volleyball team to its most successful season since 2009 last year and her efforts were rewarded with a contract extension through 2018, according to a release from the school. WSU finished last season with an 18-15 (5-15 Pac-12) record.
"I was a part of some very good teams when I played and coached here previously," Greeny said. "I understand what it takes to be successful at this level and it's not just having good players. It's building a complete program, one that is based on accountability, hard work and commitment. That is what we are building here and I feel we are very much on the right track."
In Greeny’s third year at the helm, the Cougs started the season strong with 13 straight wins in non-conference play. While the Cougars won two of their first five Pac-12 games, a six-game losing streak dropped them to well below .500 in conference and they were never able to dig out of the hole.
Although the Cougars struggled in Pac-12 play, they did notch a pair of top-25 wins. Washington State upended No. 16 Arizona State 3-2 on Oct. 11 and No. 4 USC 3-2 on Nov. 17. WSU dropped the first two sets against USC, only to rally and win the final three to pull off the upset.
The Cougars underwent a bit of a youth movement last season, with members of the 14th ranked 2013 recruiting class moving into the lineup. Freshmen hitter Kyra Holt led the way, starting every match. She wasn't the only freshmen to see significant playing time with Haley MacDonald also seeing action. Both are expected to start for the Cougars next season.
"I see many similarities with where our program is headed and what we had when I was here before," Greeny said. "It's a commitment to team goals on and off the court, in the classroom, in the community. It's having a shared vision and working in that direction as one unit, all striving for the common goal of getting better each and every practice. The foundation has been set and in a very short time this program will return to a level all Cougar fans and alumni can be proud of."
WSU has gotten better on the court during Greeny's tenure while also cleaning things up off it. The program’s APR scores increased signifanctly. WSU’s score from 2011-12 was 939, 2012-13 was 1,000, and this year’s squad also posted a perfect score of 1,000.