Amy Hedrichovsky File (.pdf)
MOBILE, Ala. – University of South Alabama Director of Athletics Joel Erdmann announced Friday the hiring of Amy Hendrichovsky (pronounced Hen-dra-hoe-ski) as the 13th head coach of the Jaguar volleyball program.
“The search for our head coaching position was very competitive,” Erdmann said of the process. “We had an abundance of applications, both formal and informal, and we had a group of finalists who were all very strong in their own unique ways. When we stepped back and looked at the specific needs of the program at this time, Amy’s traits and expertise filled those needs nicely. We are very excited to have her come in and lead this program.
"She has a resume and work experience that is filled with success at the conference level and the national level in two different environments. Within those two environments, at Metro State and Middle Tennessee, she was a key part to those programs’ success, both in the recruiting aspect and in the coaching and training aspects. She comes highly recommended from people who know her both personally and professionally. We are excited to see what the future holds.”
The new Jaguar head coach is very familiar with South Alabama as she has been a member of arguably one of the most dominant programs in the Sun Belt Conference in Middle Tennessee. Her familiarity with South Alabama and the improvements that she has seen definitely attracted her to USA.
“When I came on my interview and even in the past when Middle Tennessee had come to play here the last couple of years, I have seen South Alabama starting to take some turns and some strides that were very positive,” Hendrichovsky said. “On my interview, I could just feel the pride and the commitment to make the volleyball program here at South Alabama better. I feel I’m the person that can come in here and change the culture. I want to establish a winning attitude and a winning mentality. I believe with all the resources at the university and in the athletic department, that we can do that with a lot of hard work, dedication, determination and teamwork.
"I want to develop a good relationship with the team and have them trust me and me trust them that together, we are going to really try next year to move this program in a positive direction.”
Hendrichovsky comes to USA after spending the previous six seasons as an assistant coach at Middle Tennessee – one of the perennial programs in the Sun Belt Conference.
As an assistant at MTSU, Hendrichovsky was involved in all aspects of the program with a primary focus in player development, game preparation and planning, scouting opponents and recruiting.
In her six seasons with the Blue Raider program, she helped guide Middle Tennessee to six-consecutive NCAA tournament appearances, four Sun Belt tournament titles (2010, 2009, 2007, 2006) and three regular-season championships (2010, 2007, 2006).
“As far as I can remember playing volleyball, I have been very blessed to be around success,” Hendrichovsky said of both her playing and coaching career. “All the way from high school through this past season at Middle Tennessee, I have been with very successful coaches, both playing and coaching. Obviously, there have been up and down years and I have learned a lot. Those times were good for me, because if I had only known of winning, I wouldn’t know what to do in the other situations. Learning from the coaches who have been my mentors over the years, I have really tried to soak in how they handle things, which has helped me create my own philosophy on how I want to handle things and develop a winning mentality.”
During her time with MTSU, the Blue Raiders had 24 players earn all-Sun Belt honors, eight SBC all-tournament selections and nine American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) all-region and All-American selections – the most recent being outside hitter Ashley Adams, who earned All-American honors this past season. Hendrichovsky has also coached two Sun Belt Conference Players of the Year - Ashley E. Adams (2007) and Izabela Kozon (2010). Three players were also selected as the league tournament’s Most Outstanding Player.
While in Murfreesboro, the Blue Raiders recorded at least 21 wins every season and finished with a school-record 35 during the 2007 campaign. In her six seasons, MTSU posted an overall record of 164-47 (.777) and an 88-12 (.880) conference mark. The Blue Raiders were also very successful in the postseason as they amassed a 19-8 record.
Hendrichovsky joined the MTSU staff in 2006 after spending four seasons as an assistant at Metro State College in Denver, Colo.
At Metro State, she helped lead the Roadrunners to four-straight NCAA Division II tournaments and a pair of Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference regular-season and tournament championships. Metro State was traditionally a top 15 national program and during her four seasons, the Roadrunners finished with a 93-36 (.721) mark.
Prior to Metro State, Hendrichovsky was a student assistant for one season at the University of North Alabama, her alma mater, where the Lions captured a Gulf South Conference championship and earned an NCAA Tournament berth, where they advanced to the Sweet Sixteen.
As a player at North Alabama in Florence, Ala., (Bernstein) Hendrichovsky was a four-year starter for another perennial power, as the Lions were routinely one of the top-10 programs at the NCAA Division II level. During her collegiate career, UNA won four GSC titles, as well as made appearances in the NCAA tournament, advancing to the Elite Eight twice (1998 and 1999) and the Final Four once (2000). In her four collegiate seasons, UNA posted an overall record of 153-21 (.879) and a 51-1 (.981) league mark. She finished her career with 1,279 digs and led the program in that category each season.
Hendrichovsky graduated from North Alabama in 2001 with a bachelor of science degree in secondary education – mathematics. A native of Boca Raton, Fla., she and her husband, Shea, have a son, Andrew, and a daughter, Eliana.
Hendrichovsky replaces Nicole Keshock, who was not retained last month.
For more information about South Alabama athletics, check back with www.usajaguars.com. Season tickets for all Jaguar athletic events can be purchased by calling (251) 461-1USA (1872).
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