Houghton College Women's Volleyball

Danielle Heffernan was named head coach of the women’s volleyball program in February 2024. Heffernan is the 13th head coach in the history of the program.   Heffernan brings coaching experience from the NCCAA, NAIA and NCAA Division III levels and has been part of programs (as player or coach) that have won 12 National Christian College Athletic Association national championships.   Heffernan comes to Houghton after serving as assistant coach at Bob Jones University under the direction of coaching legend and NCCAA Hall of Famer Vickie Denny from 2019-2023. As Denny’s lead assistant, Heffernan was part of five-straight NCCAA national championship teams.   Prior to serving at BJU, Heffernan was head coach at Ohio Christian University for three seasons (2015-2017), tallying a record of 31-59. While at OCU, Heffernan helped transition the program into the NAIA in 2015 while also taking the team to the River States Conference postseason tournament for the first time in 2017.   She got her first experience coaching as an assistant under Denny at Clearwater Christian College from 2011-2014, winning three NCCAA championships. She transitioned into coaching after a four-year playing career (2007-2010) at CCC where she was part of four additional national championship teams.   A native of Yardley, Pa., Heffernan holds a bachelor’s degree from Clearwater Christian and an MBA from Ohio Christian.    

Riley Pettit joined head coach Haley Unverdorben as the women’s volleyball graduate assistant coach  in August of 2023.   A native of nearby Belfast, New York, Pettit attended Cuba-Rushford Central School before moving on to Covenant College (Ga.), where she earned a bachelor’s degree in art with a concentration in graphic design and a minor in business, graduating with honors, in May of 2022.    While at Covenant, Pettit played four years of volleyball, serving as team captain in her final two seasons.  She compiled 549 career kills and 603 career digs.   Following graduation, Pettit remained at Covenant, stepping in as the Interim Director of Athletic Communications, where she managed the day-to-day operations of the Sports Information Department for a full academic year.       In the summer of 2023, she married Nicholas Pettit (Houghton baseball assistant).  They live in Houghton and are both currently pursuing MBAs.