Natalie Borland Joins Volleyball Coaching Staff

by YSU

Sunday, Aug 11, 2013 6:42 pm

Natalie Borland has joined the Youngstown State volleyball program as an assistant coach, head coach Mark Hardaway announced on Aug. 6.

Borland replaces Jennifer McConnell, who was on the Penguins staff each of the past two seasons.

"We are very excited to have Natalie join our staff," Hardaway said. "It is always about a good fit in athletics, and her strengths will make our staff stronger. Natalie is familiar with high school and club volleyball in Northeast Ohio, very knowledgeable about the game, and hungry to learn. She will be an asset to YSU and the volleyball program."

Borland was most recently the head coach of the 18 R team at the Varsity Elite Volleyball Club in Canal Fulton, Ohio, where she managed all aspects of practice and matches. As the head coach of the 17 R squad in 2011, her teams won two tournaments and finished as a runner-up in another.

Borland served as a volunteer assistant at Walsh University, her alma mater, for the 2011 volleyball season. The Cavaliers went 27-7 overall and shared the American Mideast Conference championship with a 9-1 record. Walsh also won the Ohio Independent Championships, had five players earn all-AMC honors and three more earn all OIC accolades.

She also served as a graduate assistant coach for the women's track and cross country teams at Walsh for two seasons. In addition to organizing home track meets, Borland designed plyometric activities that helped produce a team conference championship and three individual national qualifiers.

As a collegiate player, Borland earned letters at Wheeling Jesuit, Kent State and Walsh. She was named to the West Virginia Intercollegiate Athletic Conference All-Freshman team in 2006 at Wheeling Jesuit, and she played at Kent State in 2007. Borland then transferred to Walsh where she was an honorable mention all-conference pick as a junior and a first-team selection as a senior. She played both seasons at Walsh under former YSU head coach Krista Burrows and led the Cavaliers to two NAIA Tournament appearances and a record of 57-22. Borland was also a two-time first-team All-AMC honoree in track and field at Walsh and served as captain of both squads.

Borland earned her bachelor's degree in marketing from Walsh in 2010 and went on to earn an MBA from the university in 2012.

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