NEWBERRY — Newberry College head volleyball coach Callie Youngman has announced the hiring of Cecilia Brandon as an assistant coach.
“We had a number of fantastic applicants for this position, but it was Cecilia’s energy and ambition that made her stand out,” said Youngman. “From the first conversation, Cecilia bought into our vision for the program.”
Last year, Brandon served as a graduate assistant coach before becoming interim co-head coach for the Waldorf Warriors during the season. She helped lead the Warriors to a 17-22 record which included going 6-10 in the conference. Her responsibilities included managing volleyball operations, recruiting, and teaching physical education courses.
Brandon began her collegiate career at Catawba Valley Community College before moving to UNC Pembroke after one season. At Catawba Valley, she helped the top-ranked Buccaneers post a 36-0 regular season record while claiming the Carolina-Virginia Conference title with a 16-0 league mark.
Catawba Valley captured National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) Division II Region X Tournament and NJCAA Division II District P Tournament championships to advance to the NJCAA Division II National Tournament in Toledo, Ohio.
Moving on to UNC Pembroke as a sophomore, Brandon played NCAA Division II volleyball and excelled both on and off the court during the final three years of her career.
During her first season with the Braves, she received the team’s “Most Improved” award. As a junior, she was named to the 2014 North Carolina Collegiate Sports Information Association (NCCSIA) College Division All-State Volleyball Team.
Youngman continued to praise Brandon and said “her character and personality fit very well with our program, and we are excited to have Cecilia join the NCVB family.”
Brandon graduated from UNC Pembroke in 2016 with a bachelor’s degree in Mass Communications with a minor in Journalism.
Volleyball opens the season with the Newberry College Invitational Match on Sept. 1 starting at noon.