University of North Carolina - Greensboro Women's Volleyball

GREENSBORO, N.C.  UNC Greensboro (UNCG) Athletics announced today that [Felicia Turner](https://uncgspartans.com/sports/womens-volleyball/roster/coaches/felicia-turner/832) has been named volleyball head coach. Turner has spent the past six years with the Georgia Bulldogs, serving three of those years as associate head coach.    "We are very excited to welcome Felicia and her family to Greensboro and the Spartan Nation," said Director of Athletics Brian Mackin. "Felicia is widely recognized as one of the top young coaches in the nation, and we believe her knowledge of the game, her skillful approach to coaching, and her ability to connect with both our current and prospective players on the recruiting trail will have an immediate impact in elevating the success of this program."   Turner wrapped up her sixth season on the Georgia volleyball coaching staff in 2022, where the Bulldogs finished 23-8 overall and 13-5 in the SEC. This was the third season in her tenure that Georgia totaled 20 or more wins. The Bulldogs earned their 11th ticket to the NCAA Tournament in program history after receiving an at-large bid. The bid was the second time under 2022 SEC Coach of the Year, Tom Black.   Turner was promoted to associate head coach before the 2020 season after spending the previous three seasons as an assistant on Tom Black's staff.    "I am honored and beyond excited to be named UNCG's Volleyball Head Coach," said Turner. "It is apparent that UNCG takes great pride in the involvement of our community, developing the whole student-athlete, and creating a competitive environment. I will work tirelessly to ensure our continued success in those areas. I want to thank Director of Athletics Brian Mackin, Senior Associate AD for Internal Operations Jennifer Aguilar, and the rest of the interview committee for this opportunity. I am excited to meet and build relationships with these young Spartan women and create a legacy here at UNCG. Go Spartans!"   Success With Georgia Bulldogs  While Turner was a member of the Georgia staff, the Bulldogs averaged 13.0 kills per set in the six years.    During the 2022 season, the Bulldogs were ranked in the top 50 in the nation in five categories: 11th in total blocks (317.0), 16th in service aces (212), 19th in blocks per set (2.64), 34th in aces per set (1.77), and 38th in win-loss percentage (0.742).    In 2019, Turner helped guide the Bulldogs to their first NCAA Tournament appearance since 2013, taking on Cal Poly at No. 3 Stanford. The Georgia hitters recorded a .232 hitting clip in 2019 while finishing third in the SEC with 13.83 kills per set. SEC Freshman of the Year Kacie Evans finished ninth in the league with 3.63 kills per set and 4.03 points per set.    During her second season mentoring the Bulldogs, Georgia ranked fifth in the conference with 13.17 kills per set.    Turner helped guide Georgia to its best season since 2013 during the coaching staff's first season. In 2017, the squad completed the season with a 22-12 overall record and a fifth-place finish in SEC play with a 10-8 mark. In RPI, the Bulldogs jumped 132 places from the previous season to 57. The Bulldogs ranked second in the SEC with 13.75 kills per set average and fourth with a .243 hitting percentage.    Starting At Her Alma Mater  Turner stepped into coaching after completing a successful collegiate career at Loyola Marymount University (LMU), serving as an assistant coach for the Lions, mentoring the team to a pair of NCAA appearances, including a historic run to the Sweet 16 in 2015 after knocking off nationally-ranked Colorado State and top-10 Stanford in Palo Alto. Along with the postseason action, Turner helped LMU to two 20-win seasons. The 24 wins LMU recorded in 2015 were the most for the program since collecting 26 in 2003.    In 2015, LMU also finished third in the West Coast Conference, another best for the team since 2003. Under Turner's guidance, LMU had four AVCA All-America selections, six AVCA All-Region picks, an AVCA Region Freshman of the Year, and 11 All-Conference honorees, along with the Defensive Player of the Year in 2016.   Turner has quickly proven herself as one of the top young coaches, as she was named to the 2016 AVCA Thirty Under 30 Awards list.    Turner has learned from some of the best coaches in the nation, spending her summers as an intern with the USA Women's National Team alongside Tom Black, who was an assistant with Team USA. In addition, she also served as an instructor at a pair of Gold Medal Squared volleyball camps during the summer of 2014.    Over five years as a Lion player, including a 2011 season in which she missed the entire year due to off-season surgery but was still a captain and leader from the sidelines, Turner amassed 752 kills to rank 22nd in LMU history. Completing her playing career in 2013 before graduating in 2014 with a degree in pre-physical/occupational therapy, Turner also posted 882 digs, averaging 2.34 per set.    The Laguna Niguel, California, native was an integral player in building the LMU sand volleyball program, earning a spot in the 2013 AVCA Collegiate Sand Volleyball National Championships pairs bracket. Turner also coached the beach volleyball team, as the squad entered the 2015 season ranked No. 5 in the nation.