Colgate University Women's Volleyball

Follow @CoachRyanBaker1 | Follow @ColgateVB!function(d,s,id){var js,fjs=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],p=/^http:/.test(d.location)?'http':'https';if(!d.getElementById(id)){js=d.createElement(s);js.id=id;js.src=p+'://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js';fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js,fjs);}}(document, 'script', 'twitter-wjs'); Ryan Baker is building championship success on a consistent basis for Colgate Volleyball.  The Colgate volleyball program has reached new heights under Baker, who in 2022 became the first head coach in program history to be named Patriot League Coach of the Year four times. He earned the honors once again in 2023, now a five-time Patriot League Coach of the Year. One of two coaches in Colgate Volleyball history with more than 300 victories, Baker has compiled a 340-227 record in addition to a 210-72 (.744) record in Patriot League play during his 20 seasons at the helm of the Raiders.  5x Patriot League Coach of the Year (2007, 2012, 2019, 2022, 2023) 3x Colgate Athletics Howard Hartman Coach of the Year (2008, 2012, 2013) 5x Patriot League Champions (2012, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024) 57 All-Patriot League honorees (30 First Team, 27 Second Team) 19 Patriot League Tournament appearances 5 Patriot League Players of the Year (2013, 2019, 2020-21, 2022, 2024) Two Patriot League Defensive Players of the Year (2006, 2007) Two Patriot League Rookies of the Year (2007, 2017) Three Patriot League Setter of the Year (2020-21, 2021, 2022) Three AVCA All-American Honorable Mentions (Kurowski, Lowe, Bayless) Two Patriot League Scholar-Athletes of the Year One Patriot League Preseason Player of the Year (2025)   Consistent Championship Success Baker’s first season at the helm came in 2006, and since then he has brought the Raiders to new heights. Annually playing a national schedule that prepares the team for conference action, Colgate has only finished outside of the top-four in the league twice under Baker’s leadership and has made nine appearances in the Patriot League championship match. Under Baker’s tutelage, the Raiders have appeared in 19 Patriot League tournaments including a run of four consecutive conference title matches from 2020-24. Colgate swept the Patriot League regular season and tournament championships in 2021, 2022, 2023, and 2024. Baker is Colgate’s first volleyball coach to secure three Patriot League tournament titles - and in 2024 compiled his fifth crown. Milestone Campaigns Colgate has experienced milestone campaigns under Baker’s guidance. In the first ever match up between Colgate and Washington, the Raiders topped the Huskies 3-2, winning the first two sets and set five. Coach Baker earned his 300th career victory in 2024, he is 45 wins away from matching Janet Little's 385 victories. The Raiders captured their first-ever win over an SEC opponent with a dominant 3-1 victory against Tennessee in 2022.  Colgate finished the 2022 season 24-6 overall, tied for the second-most wins in a single-season (2019), to go along with a 14-2 conference campaign. Julia Kurowski, the first three-time Patriot League Setter of the Year, became the program’s all-time leader in assists.  During the 2021 season, the Raiders captured their first Patriot League championship since 2012. Baker’s regular season champion Raiders knocked off Navy in the semifinals before dethroning American 3-1 in the championship at Cotterell Court.  Baker garnered his third Patriot League Coach of the Year accolade in 2019 after leading the squad to a regular season title with a 15-1 record in league action. Colgate finished the season with 24 wins, tied for the second most in program history (1988), just three shy of the program record of 27 wins in the Division I era (1996). The Raiders advanced to the NIVC Quarterfinals after defeating Boston College and Tulane in the opening rounds. The 2018 season featured Baker's 200th victory at the helm of the program in a sweep of Lafayette on Cotterell Court (Sept. 28). During that season, the Raiders marked a notable victory when they earned their first win over a Big Ten program since 1991 in a 3-1 final against Rutgers at the Cal Tournament (Aug. 24).   Awards  Baker became the first Colgate Volleyball coach to earn four Patriot League Coach of the Year honors after guiding the Raiders to their second consecutive conference title in 2022. Colgate bested Tennessee 3-1 during non-conference play for the program’s first-ever win over an SEC opponent and secured the regular season title with a 14-2 League mark. The Raiders finished 24-6 overall, their second-most single-season wins in program history. Colgate’s 2019 season, which featured an NIVC quarterfinal appearance, saw the Raiders finish a remarkable 15-1 against conference opponents. Baker was honored with Patriot League Coach of the Year honors for the third time in his career after guiding Colgate to a 24-win season, tied for the second most in a single-season in program history.  When he led the Raiders to the 2012 Patriot League Championship title, Baker was again recognized by his peers as Coach of the Year. After an 0-10 start, the Raiders turned the season around by winning their first eight Patriot League games to garner a 17-14, 12-2 conference mark. The season came to a close in Austin, Texas, where Colgate lost to the eventual national champion Texas Longhorns in the first round of the NCAA tournament. Baker’s second season at the helm ended with his first Patriot League Coach of the Year honor after Colgate finished the season with a 11-3 conference record, good for second place. Under his leadership, the Raiders advanced to their first Patriot League championship match for the first time since 2000 and secured their first winning season since 1996.    Being recognized within the department, Baker has been honored with the Howard Hartman Coach of the Year award on three occasions including 2008, the 2012 Patriot League Championship season, and for the 22-win campaign in 2013.  The award was established in memory of Howard N. Hartman, who was head basketball coach at Colgate between 1949-62 and also served as an assistant with the football, baseball and lacrosse programs. The honor is awarded annually to the Colgate coach who best represents leadership, spirit, discipline and determination that Hartman exemplified.   Before Colgate  Baker came to Colgate after garnering a 22-11 record as head coach at Clarkson. The successes of his 2004 team marked the fourth-highest win total and third-best winning percentage in the program’s 30-year history. He led Clarkson to a third-place finish at the Liberty League Championship and had six student-athletes named to the conference’s all-academic team in addition to having setter Suzanne Clarvoe named to CoSIDA Academic All-District I Second Team honors.   Prior to his stop at Clarkson, Baker rejoined his alma mater Ithaca College as a graduate assistant coach where the Bombers posted a 24-19 overall record and made an appearance in the ECAC Upstate New York Tournament championship match.   In addition to gaining coaching experience with the Southern Tier club team in 2004, Baker coached his high school program at New York Mills during the 2001-02 seasons. While playing at New York Mills, Baker was a four-year letterwinner and was named team MVP in his senior season.   A 2003 graduate of Ithaca, Baker was a four-year member of the Bombers’ club team as a libero and setter. He served as president and coach of the team for two years, helping the squad to a fifth-place national ranking in 2000 and 2001.   Personal  A native of New York Mills, New York, Baker graduated from Ithaca in 2003 with a bachelor’s degree in broadcast journalism before earning his master’s degree in sport psychology from Ithaca in 2007. He is married to the former Kristin Fiorillo of Corning, New York, who is the volleyball head coach at nearby Hamilton College. The family has two young sons, Brody and Landon, and a daughter, Elliot.   Get to Know Ryan Baker   An influential Person in My Career: Russ Rose, the current Penn State head coach who has won six national championships. He mentored and believed in me at a young age. An Idea or Invention I wish I had thought of: I’ve had lots of things I’ve wanted to bring to Shark Tank, but my latest invention would be a self-wiping diaper. What I Like about my Job: I love watching a team compete and fight. What I Like about Competing: I think you find out a lot about someone’s spirit and will when something is on the line. What I would Like to Change: The minus-25 degree temperatures. What I Like that would Surprise Those who know me: Judge Judy. What I Like about Myself: I truly enjoy life and having fun.   Miscellaneous Favorites Heroes: My mom. She always challenges me, but believes in me. Also, my wife who just endured labor! Possession: At the moment, my Bose noise canceling headphones. It cancels all the screams and demands. Memento: My Coach K autograph. Magazines: ESPN The Magazine. Gadget: I am not very tech savvy, but I do love my iPhone. App: Instagram – taking pics of baby Brody. Music Type, Singer or Group: I’m not picky, just not country. Books: Any book written by a current or former coach. Food: Cereal, especially Maple Brown Sugar Life. Movies: Too many to name. Quote: “People don’t care how much you know, until they know how much you care.”   Baker's Colgate Career YEAR              OVERALL      PL                           POSTSEASON 2006               14-15               6-8                              -- 2007               17-13              11-3                           Patriot League Final 2008               15-14               9-5                            Patriot League Final 2009               15-13              11-3                           Patriot League Semifinal 2010               18-12              10-4                           Patriot League Final 2011               12-18               8-6                             Patriot League Semifinal 2012               17-14              12-2                            Patriot League Champions, NCAA First Round 2013               22-9                13-3                            Patriot League Final 2014               15-11               9-7                              -- 2015               12-16              10-6                            Patriot League Semifinal 2016               18-11              13-3                            Patriot League Final 2017               18-11               9-7                             NIVC First Round 2018               14-15               9-7                             Patriot League Semifinal 2019               24-8                15-1                            Patriot League Semifinal, NIVC Quarterfinals 2020-21           8-2                  7-1                             Patriot League Final 2021              18-10               13-3                            Patriot League Champions, NCAA First Round 2022               24-6                14-2                            Patriot League Champions, NCAA First Round 2023               22-8                13-3                            Patriot League Champions, NCAA First Round 2024               19-11              14-2                            Patriot League Champions, NCAA First Round 2025               18-10              13-3                            Patriot League Semifinal Totals            340-227        210-72

Coaching Experience Assistant Coach/Recruiting Coordinator, Colgate University (2020-pr.) Assistant Coach, University of Alabama Birmingham (2018-2020) Assistant Coach, Villanova (2017) Graduate Assistant Coach, Salisbury (2015-17) Playing Experience Salisbury University (2011-14) Education B.S., Science, Salisbury University (2015) M.S., Applied Health Physiology, Salisbury University (2017) At Colgate Colgate Volleyball announced Michelle Meehan as an assistant coach in July 2020. During her time in Hamilton, she has helped Colgate Volleyball reach new heights with perennial success at the conference level as well as regionally and nationally. Since Meehan arrived in 2020, Colgate has captured four Patriot League championships, four regular season titles, and three 20-win campaigns. The Raiders secured their fourth straight NCAA tournament appearance in 2024 and took Kansas to the limit in a first-round decision.  Colgate has hosted the Patriot League championship each year since Meehan arrived in Hamilton. She has aided in the development of three Patriot League Setters of the Year, two Players of the Year, two Scholar-Athletes of the Year, and several All-Patriot League and All-Region honorees.     As an assistant coach for the Raiders, Meehan handles the recruiting functions within the program while also training passers and defense. Before Colgate Meehan joined the Raiders after most recently serving as an assistant coach at the University of Alabama at Birmingham since 2018, where she was responsible for recruiting efforts in addition to serving as a defensive coordinator and camp coordinator.   Meehan joined the UAB coaching staff in 2018 after spending the previous year at Villanova as an assistant coach. While with the Wildcats, Meehan assisted with the day-to-day operations of practice planning, scouting opponents and creating a game plan. She was also involved with the management and planning of Villanova’s volleyball camps.   Before Villanova, Meehan returned to her alma mater as a graduate assistant at Salisbury University from 2015-17 and was responsible for the on-court training of all positions with an emphasis on liberos, defensive specialists and outside hitters. At Salisbury, she also prepared opponent scouting reports, broke down film and supervised the academic development of the student-athletes.   In addition to collegiate coaching experience, Meehan has coached as camps for various programs and was a club volleyball coach with the East Coast Power Volleyball Club and Eastern Shore Elite Volleyball Academy.   Meehan was a four-year starter at Salisbury as a libero and served as team captain for two years. She led the Sea Gulls to back-to-back conference championships and three-straight NCAA tournament appearances, including an Elite 8 run.   In addition to being named to an NCAA All-Region honor and as a two-time All-CAC Team selection, Meehan is currently a top-10 school record holder in career aces, aces in a season, career digs, and digs in a season at Salisbury.   A 2015 graduate of Salisbury, Meehan earned her Bachelor of Science in science with a minor in athletic coaching before completing her Master of Science in applied health physiology in 2017.

Sport Administrator for Field Hockey and Men’s Soccer Meghan Kovac was promoted to Colgate’s Associate Athletics Director for Leadership and Inclusion in July 2023. In this role, she is responsible for the management and oversight of the department’s Student-Athlete Support Services team, as well as leading the Division’s efforts relating to diversity, equity, and inclusion. Kovac previously served as the Assistant Director of Student-Athlete Development, a promotion earned in January 2022 after initially joining Colgate Athletics in September of 2019 as the Director of Student-Athlete Development.  Kovac oversees the division’s broad-based student-athlete development program, including the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee, Wellness Advocates, and other offerings such as health and wellness, career development, and personal development, while supporting many campus partnerships. Additionally, she manages Student-Athlete Academic Support, which includes the oversight of academic success and skill development for all our teams. She directly supports Football, Men’s Basketball, Men’s Crew, Men’s Golf, Men’s Tennis, Swimming & Diving, Softball, Women’s Ice Hockey, Women’s Tennis, and Volleyball. In addition to her role within the PERA Division, Kovac serves on a variety of committees across the University, including the Academic Affairs Board and the Council on Alcohol and Other Drugs. She is also engaged professionally outside of the University, as a member of the National Association of Academic and Student-Athlete Development Professionals (N4A), as well as Women Leaders in College Sports. Kovac arrived at Colgate from Northeastern University, where she worked as a graduate assistant in the office of Student-Athlete Development and Compliance. While at Northeastern, Kovac put on quality events for student-athletes dealing with topics such as networking and mental health. Kovac also created compliance tips, served as a SAAC advisor, and was a key cog in planning for Northeastern’s community engagement events. A native of Warren, New Jersey, Kovac earned her Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration with a concentration in Finance from Bucknell University in 2018. She then received her master’s degree in sports leadership from Northeastern University in 2019. While at Bucknell, Kovac was a standout member of the softball team, completing her career with the all-time program record for home runs, RBIs, and doubles. She received the Patriot League Outstanding Leadership and Character Award, as well as Bucknell’s John F. Zeller Award.

Follow @Yariv_016  Follow @ColgateAthletic !function(d,s,id){var js,fjs=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],p=/^http:/.test(d.location)?'http':'https';if(!d.getElementById(id)){js=d.createElement(s);js.id=id;js.src=p+'://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js';fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js,fjs);}}(document, 'script', 'twitter-wjs'); Sport Administrator for Football and Women's Basketball Colgate alumnus Yariv Amir '01 was appointed as Colgate's Vice President and Director of Athletics in November 2023.  Amir, who has served as interim vice president and director of athletics since January 2023, will lead the University's 25 NCAA Division I varsity sports.  Amir has held extensive leadership roles in college athletics, including the previous eight years at Colgate University. Prior to his stint as interim vice president and director of athletics, Amir served as the deputy athletics director and worked as the senior associate athletics director for finance and operations as well as senior associate athletics director for external operations.  As one of the leading liberal arts institutions in the country, Colgate student-athletes continue to boast record-breaking numbers in graduation success rate, academic progress rates, and conference academic honor roll selections.  During his short time as interim vice president and director of athletics, Amir successfully led national searches for three head coaches. In his role as the athletics' CFO, Amir oversaw business operations, facilities and event operations, capital projects, equipment services, and the department's external operations including communications, multimedia, and marketing. He has served as the sport administrator for nine athletics programs during his tenure at Colgate.  Nationally, Amir has served on the NCAA Men's and Women's Ice Hockey Rules Committee, the ECAC Hockey Administrators Committee, the NCAA Division I Swimming & Diving Committee and the Men's Hockey National Recruiting Committee. On the Colgate campus, he serves on the Academic Affairs Board, Cabinet, Dean's Advisory Council, Committee on Athletics, University Property Committee, and on the OAK Initiative. He previously served on the University's Faculty Affairs Board, and Committee on Information Technology, and he was the athletics representative on Colgate's Middle States Accreditation Self Study Steering Committee. Before returning to his alma mater in the summer of 2015, Amir served for 13 years in the department of athletics at Princeton University. There he served in various roles, including as the Assistant Athletic Director for Marketing. While at Princeton, he served on the Ivy League Digital Strategies Committee and was an NCAA Women's Water Polo Committee member. Before working at Princeton, Amir spent one year working at USA Hockey as the Brian Fishman Intern in the organization's public relations office.   Amir was a captain of the men's rowing team at Colgate before graduating in 2001 with a degree in economics and international relations. He earned his Master of Business Administration from the Rutgers University Business School in 2010, specializing in marketing. Amir resides in Hamilton with his wife, Elizabeth Wood Amir '00, and their two children.   

Year Started at Colgate September 2021 Education A.A. Business - SUNY Morrisville 2019 Experience 2022-Present   Colgate University: Athletics Operations Coordinator, Reid Center 2021-2022       Colgate University: HR Operations Coordinator 2020-21           Herkimer County Tax Department: Account Clerk

Year Started at Colgate October 2018 Education B.S. Parks, Recreation and Leisure Facilities Management  - SUNY Cortland 2018 Experience 2023 - Present   Colgate University: Director of Recreation 2018-2023          Colgate University: Assistant Director of Recreation 2018                   Syracuse University: Intramural Coordinator

Year Started at Colgate July 2019 Education B.S. Natural Resource Recreation and Tourism - Texas A&M University 2013 M.A.T.  Theology/Theological Studies - Fuller Theological Seminary 2019 Experience 2022 - Present  Colgate University: Director of Outdoor Education 2022-Present    Colgate University: Residential Commons Director 2019-2022        Colgate University: Assistant Director of Outdoor Education 2018-2019        Pro Care EMS: Emergency Medical Technician 2014-Present    National Outdoor Leadership School: Wilderness Medicine Instructor  2014-2015       Glorieta Camps: Trail Crew Program Manager 2013-2014       Glorieta Camps: Marketing/Program Development 

Sport Administrator for Women's Soccer, Volleyball and Men’s Ice Hockey Toni Rogers was promoted to Colgate’s Deputy Athletics Director for Internal Operations/Senior Woman Administrator in February 2024. In this role, she is responsible for the management and oversight of the department's internal facing units, including human resources, governance and compliance, student-athlete support services, sport performance, as well as lead the Division's efforts relating to gender equity, Title IX, sport administration and strategic planning. Rogers previously served as the Senior Associate Athletics Director, Student-Athlete Services & Compliance, a promotion earned in July 2022 after initially joining Colgate Athletics in December of 2018 as the Associate Athletics Director for Compliance and Student-Athlete Services.   Rogers arrived at Colgate following a four-year term as the Assistant Athletics Director for Compliance at Cal State Fullerton. While with the Titans, Rogers served as a member of the athletic department's management team and was responsible for compliance-related needs of 15 varsity sports competing in the Big West Conference. She was the softball team's sport administrator and spent time as the department's Interim Senior Woman Administrator.    "We are so pleased to welcome Toni to our Colgate Athletics team," said Dr. Nicki W. Moore, former Colgate Vice President and Director of Athletics upon hire. "Her commitment to running a strong compliance program along with her clear passion for enhancing the student-athlete experience aligns well with our division's values and vision."   In addition to her role within the PERA Division, Rogers serves on a variety of committees across the University, including the Faculty Affairs Committee, the Sexual and Intimate Partner Violence Committee, and as a member of the Prohibited Conduct Response Group. She is also engaged professionally outside of the University, currently serving on the NCAA Interpretations Committee and the NAAC Legislation & Governance Committee, as well as previously participating in the Institute for Administrative Advancement and the Leadership Enhancement Institute through Women Leaders in Sports.     A native of Rochester, New York, Rogers was the Compliance Director at Canisius College in Buffalo from 2012-14 after serving as both a senior compliance intern and then Compliance Coordinator at The Ohio State University from 2010-12.   Rogers earned her undergraduate degree from Baldwin Wallace University in 2010, and her master's degree from Ohio State in 2011.

Year Started at Colgate June 2023 Education B.A. Marketing - Davis and Elkins College 2021 M.S. Marketing Communications Management - Manhattanville 2023 Experience 2023 - Present   Colgate University: Associate Director of Creative Services/Multimedia 2021 - 2023   Manhattanville College: Assistant Director of Athletic Communications 2022     Camp Winaukee: Head of Media and Photography 2018 - 2021   Davis and Elkins College: Student Assistant for Athletics Competitive Experience Three-year letter winner on the Davis and Elkins College women’s soccer and women’s tennis teams