Coach Kara Clemenz enters her 6^th season as Head Coach of the Patriots Volleyball program.

Clemenz hails from Bellbrook, OH where she was graduated from Bellbrook High School in 1998.  She earned a B.S. from the Cumberlands in 2002 in Psychology.  Clemenz then moved on to UT-Chattanooga where she earned a M.S. in Industrial/Organizational Psychology. 

While attending University of the Cumberlands, Coach Clemenz was a 4 year member of the volleyball team where she was the setter for the Patriots.  She was awarded the Mid-South Conference (MSC) Player of the Week 8 times and was named to the MSC 2nd team for 4 seasons, as well as being named to the Mid-South Conference All-Academic Team.

Clemenz also holds the record at UC for career assists per game with 8.9.

During her time as head coach, Clemenz has had the privilege of coaching two MSC Champions of Character, Courtney Fout and Kelsey Dew.  She also has coached Taran Johnson, who currently is in the top 5 of many school records including kills in a career and kills per game in a career and holds the record for most blocks in a career with 657. 

In 2011, the Patriots had 8 of 10 varsity players earn MSC Academic All-Conference honors, a goal that Clemenz had set since the beginning of her coaching career. 

"I'm incredibly proud of my team on and off the court," said Clemenz.  "We participate in a number of events throughout the year including Operation Christmas Child, a food drive during the holidays, and we sponsor a young girl in Kenya.  Our team GPA continues to climb each year and the fact that we frequently have athletes graduate not only on time, but early and go on to be successful and productive members of society is a blessing.  Our program is based on respect and it has been thrilling to watch them embrace this concept.  It is an honor to coach such an incredible group of young women."

She added, "Volleyball is and always has been my passion.  I am thrilled and honored to be the head volleyball coach at UC.  I know that God has placed me exactly where he wants me as well as those students who I am blessed to have cross my path.  Having two younger sisters play volleyball at Cumberland, it has been a part of my life since 1998. Despite several coaching changes, I have seen this program experience some of its highest points and gotten to watch it grow into the program it is today."

Brittany Weinheimer begins her first season as a student assistant for the University of the Cumberlands Volleyball team.

A native of West Chester, OH, Weinheimer was a four-year veteran for the Patriots during her time here at UC.  Brittany was named MSC Setter of the week once in both her freshman and sophomore years, as well as earning a place on the All Tournament Team at the Earlham College Quaker Classic and the MSC Honorable Mention Team in her sophomore season.

Brittany will graduate from Cumberlands in the spring of 2013 with a Bachelors of Science degree in Mathematics.