University of Mount Union Women's Volleyball

Email: [email protected] Melissa Mahnke-Morrison is in her 12th year as the head volleyball coach at Mount Union.  In 2025 Mahnke-Morrison was selected to the Mount Union Hall of Fame for her athletic achivements.  In 2023, Mahnke-Morrison led the Purple Raiders back to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2014 earning a bid and made the OAC Championship game for the first time since 2014.  In 2021, the Purple Raiders played for the conference title on the final day of the regular season and ended up tied for second and advanced to the OAC Tournament semifinals. She has led the Purple Raiders to eight winning seasons and has continued a run of the program making the OAC Tournament quarterfinals for 17 of the last 20 seasons. She spent five years as an assistant coach with the Raiders and was part of a staff that won three OAC regular season titles, three OAC tournament titles made four NCAA Tournament appearances. As a player at Mount Union, she was a two-time All-American at Mount Union and is the school's all-time kills leader with 1,604.  In 2008, she was part of a team that won a then school-record 30 victories and then followed up in 2009 leading the Purple Raiders to their first-ever NCAA Tournament bid. A three-year captain, she was a three-time All-OAC selection, an Academic All-OAC pick and a two-time All-Great Lakes Region and All-American pick in 2008 and 2009. The North Royalton, Ohio, native graduated from Mount Union in 2010 with a bachelor's degree in middle childhood education and also has a master's degree in sports psychology from California University of Pennsylvania. Her and her husband Andrew along with their two sons reside in Alliance. Year Overall Record OAC Record Notes 2015 15-13 4-5 OAC Tournament Quarterfinals, 6th 2016 19-9 7-2 OAC Tournament Semifinals, 3rd 2017 25-5 7-2 OAC Tournament Semifinals, 3rd 2018 22-6 5-4 OAC Tournament Quarterfinals, 6th 2019 20-10 5-4 OAC Tournament Quarterfinals, T4th 2020-21 5-12 5-11 OAC Tournament Quarterfinals, 6th 2021 21-7 7-1 OAC Tournament Semifinals, T2nd 2022 19-8 5-4 OAC Tournament Quarterfinals, T5 2023 20-9 6-3 OAC Tournament Championship, 3rd 2024 19-10 6-3 OAC Tournament Semifinals, 3rd 2025 11-16 3-5 OAC Place, T 6th Totals 196-108 63-44 Updated April 14th, 2026

Maria Ellesin joins the staff for her first year of coaching after a five year career with the Purple Raiders. Ellesin was was a three-time All-OAC selection with two being All-OAC Honorable Mention and last year earning All-OAC Second Team. Ellesin played in 404 sets and 116 matches for Mount Union finishing with 978 kills, 266 digs and 182 total blocks.