March 19, 2012

LEXINGTON, Ky. – Former University of Dayton standout Mandy Robbe has joined the Kentucky volleyball staff as the Director of Operations it was announced by UK head coach Craig Skinner on Monday.

“We are thrilled to have Mandy on board,” Skinner said. “Her passion for volleyball is evident in her experiences as a player and coach. She has a blue-collar work ethic and has shown great leadership in this sport. Kentucky volleyball will benefit greatly from what Mandy will bring to this program.”

Robbe is a former four-year letter winner for the Dayton Flyers who advanced to three NCAA Tournaments and won a combined five Atlantic 10 titles during her tenure.”I am extremely excited to get started here at Kentucky,” Robbe said. “Coach Skinner and his staff run an elite program, and I am honored to be a part of this team.”An exceptional all-around player, Robbe spilt time on the Flyers as a defensive specialist and an attacker. She was voted a team captain in her final season in 2008. Robbe’s talents were abundant, as she was also an outstanding student earning a Presidential scholarship for academics in all four years of college.

Robbe’s experience exceeds from the court of play, as she has coached on varying levels including Dayton Flyer camps and the Kingdom and Dayton Juniors Volleyball Clubs. For the previous three seasons she has also served as color analyst on the Dayton volleyball radio broadcast.

“This is a great hire for Kentucky and a great fit for Mandy,” Dayton coach Kelly Sheffield said. “They are getting a tireless worker, and someone that will do anything for the sake of the team. Mandy will make the other coaches jobs easier, the players will absolutely love her, and I think she will enjoy working for Coach Skinner. I really enjoyed coaching Mandy and getting to know her even better following her playing career here at Dayton.”

Robbe replaces Sara Sjuts, who defined this position for Kentucky volleyball. Sjuts recently completed her MBA and is pursuing other professional opportunities.

“Sara was a central piece in the success of our program for the last seven years and will always be a part of this family,” Skinner said. “We wish her only the best in her future endeavors.”

Visit UKathletics.com for the most up-to-date information on the UK volleyball team and all of Kentucky’s 22 teams.