Georgian Court University Women's Volleyball

Shana Rayside Head Coach | 4th Season | 44-42 Former Lion student-athlete and assistant coach Shana Rayside was hired as the sixth Georgian Court Volleyball Head Coach in program history, Feb. 1, 2023 and the first woman to be head coach in the NCAA-era.  The 2024 CACC Coach of the Year, Rayside won a Conference Tournament Championship and earned a trip to the NCAA Tournament in just her second season at the helm. She guided the Lions to a 22-10 overall mark, 14-2 record in the CACC, and GCU won just their second ever NCAA Tournament game.  In her first season on the sidelines as the Lions head coach, Rayside guided the Lions to a 14-13 record and an 8-8 mark in the CACC, earning a berth in the conference tournament.  Rayside has coached seven All-CACC selections, three each in her first two seasons, along with an AVCA All-Region selection in Nylene Mateo. Following the success of the 2024 season, Rayside retooled with a young 2025 squad that included five freshmen and four new starters. One of those freshmen, Ava Churnesky, Rayside helped guide to a spot on the All-CACC team, the first GCU Freshman to make the All-Conference team since 2005 and just the third Lion freshman in the NCAA-era.  Rayside spent four seasons, 2016-19, wearing the blue and gold as a rightside hitter. As a senior captain, she led the Lions to the 2019 CACC Tournament Championship and to the NCAA Regional Tournament. Her career totals include 686 kills, 277 blocks, 844.5 points and a .205 attack percentage. As a senior she made the All-CACC Second Team and the CACC All-Tournament Team. Her 277 blocks are still the fifth-most all-time at Georgian Court. Following her playing days, Rayside took to coaching. The 2022 season was Rayside's first on the GCU sidelines, but she has a wide array of coaching experience. She was a seasonal coach at both the Ocean County Volleyball Club and the Shore Volleyball Academy in Toms River. In March of 2021, Rayside was an Assistant Coach at Red Bank Catholic High School and she returned to her alma mater in August, 2022 to assist Coach Sempkowski and the Lions. A New Jersey native, Rayside graduated at nearby Lakewood High School before coming to Georgian Court. In between her stops at Georgian Court, Rayside paid a visit to our neighbors across the Atlantic. She earned a Master's Degree in Psychology while playing as a graduate student at the University of East London in London, England.   Shana Rayside Year-by-Year Year School Overall Conference 2023 Georgian Court 14-13 8-8 2024 Georgian Court#^* 22-10 14-2 2025 Georgian Court 8-19 5-10 Georgian Court Totals 44-42 27-20 Career Totals 44-42 27-20 * NCAA Postseason  # CACC South Regular Season Champions ^ CACC Tournament Champions

Ulrich is entering his third year as Assistant Coach at Georgian Court University. Jason has been involved in multiple sports throughout his entire life both as a player and as a coach. At Brick Township High School, Jason received letters for competing in varsity baseball, ice hockey, wrestling, track & field and football. Jason went on to continue his education and football career at Bethany in West Virginia as a wide receiver. Studying Health and Physical Education for the Bison, he graduated in four years and began his teaching and coaching career in 2001. He started coaching volleyball in 2001 at St. Thomas Christian Academy in Brick Township. From there Jason was chosen to start the first ever girls varsity volleyball program at Jackson Memorial High School in 2007. In Jackson's brief history, the program has won several tournaments at the freshman, JV, and varsity levels. Jackson Memorial has had a winning program each of the past five seasons. They have also been ranked in the Top-10 of the Shore Conference in each of those years, being ranked as high as #2. The program has had several of its players move on to play collegiately all over the country.In 2016 Jason started the Jackson Memorial High School boys varisty volleyball team. Ulrich and his wife, Stephanie, are the proud parents of two daughters, Josselyn and Juliana. They reside in Jackson. Jason Ulrich Assistant Volleyball Coach Coach Jason Ulrich is entering his third year as Assistant Coach at Georgian Court University. Jason has been involved in multiple sports throughout his entire life both as a player and as a coach. At Brick Township High School, Jason received letters for competing in varsity baseball, ice hockey, wrestling, track & field and football. Jason went on to continue his education and football career at Bethany in West Virginia as a wide receiver. Studying Health and Physical Education for the Bison, he graduated in four years and began his teaching and coaching career in 2001. He started coaching volleyball in 2001 at St. Thomas Christian Academy in Brick Township. From there Jason was chosen to start the first ever girls varsity volleyball program at Jackson Memorial High School in 2007. In Jackson's brief history, the program has won several tournaments at the freshman, JV, and varsity levels. Jackson Memorial has had a winning program each of the past five seasons. They have also been ranked in the Top-10 of the Shore Conference in each of those years, being ranked as high as #2. The program has had several of its players move on to play collegiately all over the country.In 2016 Jason started the Jackson Memorial High School boys varisty volleyball team. Ulrich and his wife, Stephanie, are the proud parents of two daughters, Josselyn and Juliana. They reside in Jackson.

Jason Ulrich Associate Head Coach | 14th Season  Coach Jason Ulrich will be on the Georgian Court sidelines for his 14th season in 2026. He has proven to be a major asset to the squad as the Lions captured Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference (CACC) titles in three times in 2013, 2019, and 2024. He helped the Lions to just their second ever NCAA Tournament win in 2024 as well.  A five-sport varsity letter winner at Brick Township High School (baseball, ice hockey, wrestling, track & field and football), Jason went on to continue his education and football career at Bethany College in West Virginia as a wide receiver. Studying health and physical education for the Bison, he graduated in four years before beginning his teaching and coaching career in 2001. Ulrich started coaching volleyball in 2001 at St. Thomas Christian Academy in Brick Township. In 2007, Jason was chosen to lead the first ever girls varsity volleyball program at Jackson Memorial High School. The program has gone on to win several tournaments at the freshman, junior varsity, and varsity levels. The program has had several of its players move on to play collegiately all over the country. In 2016, Jason oversaw the inaugural Jackson Memorial High School boys varsity volleyball team. In 2020, a season that was cut short due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the squad earned a preseason ranking of 4th in New Jersey. The 2021 team regularly placed in the Top-10 and Top-20 of various NJ media polls and rankings throughout the spring. In 2022, Jason made a move to the highly prestigious Christian Brothers Academy in Lincroft, NJ as Head Coach of the Colts.  In his first year there the boys went 19-3, winning the Lacey Navy Nation Tournament and the A-North Division Championship.  The Colts were ranked as high as #3 in the State and #2 in the Shore Conference. In his second season, the Colts upended the #1 Team in the NJ State Sectional Tournament. CBA also hosted an All-Catholic School Tournament at Georgian Court University which invited schools from New Jersey as well as Rhode Island, Maryland, and Pennsylvania. Jason also coaches with the Shore Volleyball Academy, serving as director for both the indoor and beach volleyball programs. Ulrich and his wife, Stephanie, are the proud parents of two daughters, Josselyn and Juliana. They reside in Toms River, N.J..