RIVERDALE, NY – Manhattan College Director of Intercollegiate Athletics Marianne Reilly has named Lora Sarich as the Jaspers' new head volleyball coach. Sarich comes to Riverdale after four years as the head coach at the University of Northwestern Ohio.
“Lora brings a wide array of volleyball coaching and playing experience to our program,” Reilly said. “Having been a Division I student-athlete, she understands the challenges of balancing academics and athletics. She will serve as a fine role model to our student-athletes.”
Sarich led Northwestern Ohio to 79 victories during her four seasons at the helm. In 2014, the Racers won 27 matches and finished third in the Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference with an 18-4 conference record. Northwestern Ohio reached the semifinals of the WHAC Tournament that season.
“I am excited to come into a program that has had success in the past and is hungry to get back on top,” Sarich said. “I look forward to creating a competitive culture and getting the Jaspers back among the top teams in the MAAC.”
Prior to her arrival at Northwestern Ohio, Sarich was the head coach at Point University in Georgia. She started the Skyhawks' program in 2012, recruiting 16 players to the team, and guided the squad through its inaugural campaign.
She began her coaching career at the University of West Georgia, where she led the Wolves to their first-ever Gulf South Conference championship during her only season as co-head coach in 2007. Sarich then moved on to the University of Georgia as the Director of Operations before taking over as head coach of both the varsity and junior varsity coach at South Panola High School in Mississippi. She also spent one season each as an assistant coach at the University of Mississippi and Austin Peay State University.
A 2007 graduate of the University of Toledo, she was a four-year letterwinner at libero. Sarich is the Rockets' all-time leader in digs (1,736), and she also holds Toledo records for digs per set in a season (4.79 in 2005) and career (3.94).
