April 7, 2011
LEXINGTON, Ky. – Keith Schunzel has been tabbed an assistant coach for the Kentucky volleyball team head coach Craig Skinner announced Thursday. Schunzel comes to Lexington following a one-year stint at North Texas in 2010.
An up-and-coming success story, Schunzel has spent time at Indiana and Purdue before joining the Mean Green in 2010. Schunzel, a Ball State alum, was recruited by Skinner during the UK coach’s tenure on the staff of the Cardinals.
“I recruited and coached Keith as a player and have always thought I would enjoy working with him again at some point,” Skinner said. “His strengths complement this program really well and we are very excited to hit the ground running. He was a tremendous player and leader in college and his great passion for the game will immediately impact Kentucky volleyball.”
Schunzel helped lead the Mean Green to one of the most successful seasons in school history in 2010. North Texas posted a 20-13 overall record and an 11-5 mark in the Sun Belt conference while taking home the Western Division championship. Schunzel was responsible for directing setter Kayla Saey who notched 1,459 assists on the season for an average of 11.31 per stanza. North Texas charted 13.98 kills per set en route to an appearance in the Sun Belt semifinals for just the third time in school history.
Schunzel previously spent two seasons with Indiana helping the Hoosiers to its first winning campaign since 2000 in his first year in Bloomington. Indiana had won just 11 Big Ten matches in the four years prior to his arrival, but went 34-32 overall in his two seasons, and nearly qualified for the NCAA Tournament in 2008.
During his time in Bloomington, Schunzel helped recruit IU’s 2009 class which was ranked No. 22 nationally by PrepVolleyball.com. In his first year at Indiana, Schunzel helped the IU setters tally 1,506 assists, the second highest total in five years.
Prior to his stop at Indiana, Schunzel was an assistant coach at Valparaiso where he helped guide the Crusaders to a 44-24 overall record and a pair of trips to the Horizon League championship. Schunzel began his collegiate career as a volunteer assistant at Purdue during its 2005 “Sweet 16” season.
He began his coaching career in Muncie, Ind., coaching Muncie Central High School (2002-03) and the Munciana Volleyball Club (2001-04). The Muncie Central Bearcats captured the state title under Schunzel’s direction in 2002 and advanced to the finals in 2003.
Schunzel was a standout on the court while playing for Ball State from 1999-2004. The Cardinals captured the Midwestern Intercollegiate Volleyball Association Championship and turned in a trip to the NCAA Final Four in 2002, his first of three seasons as a team captain. In his senior campaign he was tabbed a second team All-America selection and was an honorable mention All-America pick in his junior season. He was a first-team All-MIVA selection for three seasons and a second-team selection in his freshman season.
Following his career with Ball State, Schunzel was the starting setter for the VfB Friedrichshafen Volleyball Club in Germany from 2004-05.
A true volleyball family, Shunzel’s wife, Briana, was the 2004 Mid-American Conference Player of the Year while setting for the Ohio University Bobcats.
Schunzel takes over for Chris Beerman who spent three seasons working with the Wildcats in helping lead UK to national prominence and an Southeastern Conference Eastern Division crown in 2009. Beerman will now partner with the Munciana Volleyball Club and develop a Lexington division of the club to help grow the sport of volleyball here in the local area.
“Over the last three seasons, Chris made significant contributions towards our success and we are extremely appreciative of his efforts,” Skinner said. “We are excited for him, his family and the growth of high-level volleyball in Lexington and the surrounding areas with this new endeavor.”
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