St. Mary´s Volleyball Announces Three Signees for 2009 Season

SAN ANTONIO—St. Mary’s University volleyball coach Todd Caughlin announced on Friday the signing of three student-athletes to National Letters of Intent to join the Rattlers, starting with the 2009 season. Bellville native Alexa Ignasiak; Red Deer, Alberta, Canada, native Julie Kells and San Antonio native Allison Murray will join the Rattler volleyball team this fall.

Ignasiak (5’9”, Fr., Bellville) was a two-sport standout at Bellville High School, lettering in both volleyball and tennis. She was an all-state honoree for coach Susan Brewer’s volleyball team as an outside hitter. Ignasiak was named district MVP and was a three-time all-district honoree. She also helped lead her team to the three straight regional tournament appearances, including a state semifinalist berth as a senior. Off the court she was an Academic All-District honoree and a member of the 2009 District 25-3A second place Accounting Team. Ignasiak is undecided on an academic major.

Kells (5’11”, Fr., Red Deer, Alberta, Canada) was an outside hitter for coach Dan Johnson at Hunting Hills High School. She was named her school’s Most Valuable Player. Off the court she was a member of the Honor Roll. Kells is undecided on an academic major.

Murray (5’7”, Fr., San Antonio) was a four-time All-District 26-5A honoree at setter for coach Mike Carter. She earned first team all-state honors in 2007 and 2008, was an All-Area Super Team pick as a senior in 2008 and was All-Area Super Team Player of the Year as a junior in 2007. Murray set a school record for assists as a senior. She helped lead Reagan to four straight District 26-5A Championships, a pair of regional finalist appearances and a state finals berth in 2006. Off the court she was a member of the National Honor Society and was an Academic All-State honoree. Murray is undecided on an academic major.

St. Mary’s recently completed the 2008 season with an 8-20 overall record and a 5-9 mark in the Heartland Conference. They return five of seven starters from that squad for the 2009 season.

Volleyball Coaches

Head Coach Jenny Warmack-Chipman

A Texas native and former Longhorn volleyball player is one of St. Mary’s University’s newest head coaches. Jenny Warmack-Chipman recently became St. Mary’s eighth volleyball head coach.

"We are very excited to welcome Jenny to the St. Mary’s University family," Migl said. "Her experience as a coach and administrator has prepared her well for this position. We look forward to seeing the new direction our volleyball program will take, both on and off the court."

Warmack-Chipman comes to St. Mary’s after spending the last 10 years as the head coach at NCAA Division III Muhlenberg College (Allentown, Pa.). She also served as Muhlenberg’s assistant athletic director, senior woman administrator and advisor to the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee.

Warmack-Chipman was the school’s all-time leader in wins with 133. During 10 seasons at Muhlenberg, Mule players earned All-Centennial Conference 17 times, 24 were named to the Centennial Conference Academic Honor Roll and one was named NCAA Division III All-American. In 2001, she led the Mules to a 20-11 record, a share of their first Centennial Conference regular-season championship and a second-place finish in the CC Tournament. The Mules returned to the playoffs in 2009, winning seven of their final 10 matches.

Before coaching for Muhlenberg, Warmack-Chipman was an assistant coach at Southern Methodist University and Wichita State University. While at SMU, she received her master’s degree in liberal arts. Warmack-Chipman, from Plano, Texas, is a 1996 graduate of the University of Texas; she graduated with a bachelor’s degree in kinesiology. While a student at UT, she played on a Longhorn team that was ranked No. 1 in the country and was named to the 1994 All-Southwest Conference team.

"I am so excited to be back in Texas and to be the next head coach at St. Mary’s University," Warmack-Chipman said. "The Rattlers athletics program has a long history of excellence and I am extremely motivated to get it back on top. I’d like to thank Charlie Migl, Donna Fields and the rest of the search committee for this opportunity. I hope to use my experience at both the Division I and Division III levels to advance the St. Mary's volleyball program."

2009 St. Mary's Numerical Roster