Elizabeth City State University Women's Volleyball

This is my second season as Head Coach of the Elizabeth City State University Vikings Volleyball team. In my first season at the helm, I was able to capture a perfect divisional record going 10-0 in the CIAA Northern division as well as capturing the CIAA Northern divisional championship. It was first CIAA Championship tournament appearance as head coach in 2023 taking home the runner-up trophy. I began my coaching career in 1994 in New York at the Big Apple games, a city-wide tournament for high school players. In 2005 I made the transition to coaching at the high school level at E.E. Smith where I coached for seven years with Coach Hardy. What I offer is more than 19 years of coaching experience.  Prior to becoming a coach, I played at the collegiate level at City College of New York. Once I completed my collegiate volleyball career, I wanted to continue the enrichment of my love for the game. Before my time at ECSU, I was selected to be the assistant coach at Fayetteville State University alongside head coach Dr. Reeshemah Johnson During my 12-year stint at Fayetteville State we appeared in the CIAA championship match 6 times, and we won two back-to-back championships (2012-13, 2019 & 2021). I earned my bachelor's degree in business administration concentration in Health Care Management and a Masters degree in Health Care Management.

Rasha Gladney enters her second season as Head Volleyball Coach at Elizabeth City State in 2025, leading the Lady Vikings through a competitive schedule in 2025 while laying the foundation for the program’s future. ECSU finished 4-20 overall and 4-12 in CIAA play, earning multiple conference victories and showing growth throughout the season, including wins over Johnson C. Smith, Claflin, and Lincoln (Pa.). Under Gladney’s leadership, the Vikings developed a balanced offensive attack, highlighted by Clarke Blakemore’s team-leading 146 kills and a .251 hitting percentage, along with strong contributions from Jorja Hoffman and Christen Brisbane. The team also showed depth and development across the roster, with key improvements in match competitiveness, including multiple five-set contests in conference play. Gladney came to Elizabeth City State after serving as an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator at Alabama A&M University, where she helped guide the Bulldogs to eight wins and coached an All-SWAC selection. Prior to that, she gained extensive experience at the high school and club levels in Texas, including with MadFrog Volleyball Club, where she helped achieve 100% collegiate placement for athletes and multiple national championship qualifications. A native of Fort Worth, Texas, Gladney holds both a bachelor’s and master’s degree in Curriculum and Instruction from Missouri Baptist University.