January 16, 2026
St. Mary’s University has hired Kristine Pelky as the new head coach for the Rattler Volleyball team, becoming the 12th head coach in the program’s history.
Pelky will officially begin Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2026.
“I am excited to welcome Kristine to the St. Mary’s family to lead our Volleyball program,” said Executive Director of Athletics Robert Coleman. “We had some very strong candidates, and Kristine stood out with her knowledge, high standards and enthusiasm. She will provide the leadership in continuing the upward trend of our program, and we look forward to supporting her goals as a head coach.”
The Rattler Volleyball team is coming off a 15-13 season and a quarterfinal appearance in the Lone Star Conference Tournament.
Pelky joins St. Mary’s after serving as the interim head coach at Winona State University in Winona, Minnesota, where she has been part of the coaching staff since 2019, starting as an assistant coach before becoming interim head coach in 2025.
“I am incredibly honored to join St. Mary’s University as head coach of the Rattler Volleyball program,” Pelky said. “I would like to thank Rob Coleman and the rest of the administration for this opportunity. I’m honored by the faith they’ve put in me to lead this team, and I appreciate all the support I’ve received from the St. Mary’s community. I can’t wait to get started working with our student-athletes, building a strong team culture, and competing at the highest level.”
During Pelky’s tenure at Winona State University, the team showed performance and academic excellence, reaching the Regional Tournament in 2021 and making three appearances in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference Tournament (NSIC). The team maintained a cumulative GPA of 3.6 or higher during the last five seasons and earned Team Academic awards for five consecutive years.
Pelky’s focus on player development was evident as she coached 10 NSIC All-Conference selections, nine NSIC Player of the Week honorees and three All-American selections.
Before coaching at Winona State, Pelky served as the head coach at Capital Volleyball Academy in Madison, Wisconsin, and as a graduate assistant at the University of Sioux Falls. She also served as head coach at the Sanford Sports Academy in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.
Pelky’s playing career began at the University of Sioux Falls, where she played from 2009 to 2012.
A native of Cheyenne, Wyoming, Pelky holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in History and Secondary Education, and a Master of Business Administration degree, both from the University of Sioux Falls. She is married to Drew Pelky, and they have two children, Michael and Natalie.