Shayla Conner was hired as Missouri Western volleyball's top assistant coach in January of 2021.
Conner comes to St. Joseph after serving as a Graduate Assistant at the University of Nebraska-Kearney. She had been in that role since April and was a Student Assistant at the University of Missouri at Kansas City for one season prior to that.
"We are thrilled to bring Coach Conner on staff to help lead our program through the challenges and successes of 2021 and beyond,” Coach Carbin said. “Coach Conner is passionate about building confident, talented women both on and off the court through relationship building and mentoring, and she brings experience from two very successful MIAA volleyball programs. In short, she is a relationship builder who knows what it takes to build and sustain a championship culture, and she is going to be a rock star of a coach for our program and for our student athletes."
Conner is no stranger to the MIAA as she had a very successful career at Washburn University. She graduated in 2019 and was an AVCA All-American and First Team All-MIAA setter her senior season. Conner was the Washburn Athlete of the Year in 2018, was a two-time team captain and four-year letterwiner for the Ichabods. Conner helped WU get to the NCAA Division II Final Four in 2018 as they finished 33-5.
“I am very excited and honored to be a part of Missouri Western,” Conner said. “For me, it's a dream come true. I have wanted to be a coach since I was a kid. To have an opportunity to help lead a group of young women at such a great university is such a honor. I am thankful for the path that led me here and for the belief of Coach Carbin and everybody at Missouri Western, I immediately felt a great connection. I am excited to get in the gym and represent the Griffs!"
Conner is a Kearney, Nebraska native where she earned All-State honors three years while playing at Kearney Catholic High School. She led the Stars to two state championships and was the Class C1 Player of the Year her senior season.
