Volleyball finalizes coaching staff

By+Joe+Will+Field

By Joe Will Field

James Benedetto, Staff Writer

Less than two weeks after being named head coach, Lindsey Devine announced the completion of her coaching staff hiring assistant coaches Ladislav Lelkes and Megan Ailshie and director of operations Emily Orrick.

“I am excited that Ladislav, Megan and Emily will be joining me at the University of Alabama,” Devine said in a press release. “Their experience, energy and dedication will help establish and promote our culture of excellence in the classroom, on the court and everywhere else in between.”

Lelkes spent the past two seasons as an assistant coach for Devine at East Tennessee State, making back-to-back NCAA Tournament appearances in 2017 and 2018. HE worked with the middles and hitters paid dividends for ETSU as the Bucs led the Southern Conference in total team blocks and was second in the conference in kills.

Ailshie, who is the daughter of Devine, played for her mother at ETSU from 2010-13 before joining the staff as a volunteer assistant in 2015. Ailshie was one of 23 ETSU players to be voted all conference since 2005. In two season coaching Dobyns-Bennett High School, she went 95-20 winning three Big 7 Conference championships, two District 1-AA and two Region 1-AA titles. This past season, Ailshie led the Lady Indians to 37-4 record and placed third in the Class AAA  state volleyball tournament.

Orrick previously served as a graduate assistant on Devine’s staff at ETSU over the past two seasons. After playing her first two seasons at Lincoln Land Community College, Orrick completed her playing career at Illinois State where she earned All-MVC and AVCA All-Region honors and was a nominee for the Senior CLASS award.