Ithaca College Women's Volleyball

Tara Stilwell was named the head coach of the Ithaca College volleyball program on May 7, 2024. The 2025 season is her second at the helm of the program as Stilwell became the ninth head coach for the volleyball program, which began competition during the 1968 season. The 2024 season saw the Bombers win their third-straight Liberty League Championship, while making their ninth-straight appearance in the NCAA Division III Championship. Ithaca would defeat Lasell University and (RV) Smith College in the NCAA First Round and Second Round but fell to No. 3 Johns Hopkins in the Regional Championship match. IC amassed a record of 24-7 and saw three student-athletes earn All-American honors with both Gabriela Gonzalez-Abreu and Naomi Clauhs earning Honorable Mention honors as well as Wesley Slavin who was named to the Second Team. Ithaca posted a 27-5 mark in 2025, which culminated with another Liberty League title and a trip to the second round of the NCAA Division III Championship. Five players were named AVCA All-Americans, while Wesley Slavin was named Liberty League Player of the Year and Allison Leadbetter was the Rookie of the Year.  Stilwell, an alunmna of the program, served as an assistant coach under Johan Dulfer for two seasons and was an assistant at Cornell University, including serving as assistant during the 2023 season. During her time with the Big Red, Stilwell spearheaded the recruiting efforts, while also assisting in coaching team practice with an emphasis on defense/serve receive skill and technique. She also would facilitate scouting reports for opponents and worked directly with summer camp organization and Giving Day operations. Her first stint as initially a graduate assistant and then as an assistant with the Bombers saw IC make appearances in the NCAA Division III Championships in both 2019 and 2021 (2020 season was canceled due to COVID-19), including an appearance in the regional final. A transfer from Clarkson University after her freshman season, Stilwell went onto to be a three-year starting libero for Ithaca. She led her team to three NCAA Tournament appearances, including one Elite Eight and a Final Four. Stilwell who also served as an instructor at Ithaca College during the 2022-23 academic year and taught Introduction to Sport and Exercise Psychology, Psychology of Injury, and Leadership and Team Building. 7/29/2026    

Coach Bancroft completed her first season with the Ithaca Bombers and helped coach the team to a 27-5 record. This past season the bombers had 3 All-Americans, Regional Player of the Year, Rookie of the Year and hosted NCAA Regionals making it to the Sweet 16. Prior to Ithaca, Coach Bancroft was a Grad Assistant at Springfield college where they had a 18-9 record and two All-Americans. Coach Bancroft also played 5 years at Springfield where she earned the following accolades: AVCA All-American, Region II Player of the Year, First Team All-Conference, All-America Academic Player, NCAA Honorable Mention All-America and three-time NEWMAC All-Conference selection.

Ithaca College volleyball head coach Tara Stilwell annouced the hiring of Mark Lucas as her assistant coach prior to the 2025 season. Lucas joins the Bombers with over two decades of coaching experience, most recently serving as the head coach at the University of Pittsburgh at Bradford during the 2024 season. Over the course of his coaching career, Lucas has mentored 27 all-conference selections. He returns to the Finger Lakes region after an eight-year tenure as head coach at nearby Wells College, where he was named the 2017 North Eastern Athletic Conference Coach of the Year. With the women's program, he compiled a 100–105 overall record and a 41–27 mark in conference play. He also led the men's team during the 2017 and 2018 seasons, posting a 40–21 record, including an 18–6 conference record, while reaching the conference final during both seasons.   Lucas also brings international coaching experience, having led the men's volleyball program at Kyoto University of Foreign Studies in Kyoto, Japan. Under his leadership, the team achieved a 73–65 record and captured three Regional Division Championships. During his time in Japan, Lucas also competed as a player for the Matsugasaki Club Team from 2008 to 2013, helping secure two Sakyo-ku League Championships.   A 1991 graduate of Rochester Institute of Technology, Lucas earned his degree in Biomedical Computing. He later received a master's degree in Education and a second bachelor's degree in Theatre from SUNY Brockport. 7/29/2026