Rice University Volleyball

Entering 2026, her 23nd year as head coach at Rice, Genny Volpe has established the Owl volleyball program as a power in the Southwest. Under Volpe's watch, the Owls have been to nine NCAA tournaments (2004, 2008, 2009, 2018, 2019, spring 2021, fall 2021, 2022, 2025), the only nine appearances in Rice's history. Volpe was inducted into the Rice Athletics Hall of Fame on October 27, 2023. The sixth head coach in Rice volleyball history, Volpe holds the program record for both career wins (434-227 overall) and highest career winning percentage (.657). The 2025 American coach of the year, 2020-21 AVCA Southwest Region Coach of the Year and also a two-time C-USA Coach of the Year (2008 and 2018), Volpe has led the Owls to six conference championships under her watch (Conference USA: 2009, 2018, 2020-21, 2021, 2022, 2025). Under Volpe, the Owls have finished in the top four of their conference 17 times, including two first-place (2018 and 2025) and six second-place finishes (2004, 2011, 2012, 2019, 2022 and 2024). In addition, Volpe serves as the American Conference representative on the AVCA Division I Head Coaches Committee. While at the helm for the Owls, Volpe has coached 16 All-Americans, and 84 all-conference selections. Under Volpe, Rice players have received a conference Player of the Week award 138 times. Success for Volpe's athletes is not limited to the volleyball floor, as 48 Owls have been tabbed as conference All-Academic Team selections (23 C-USA, 25 American). In a

Erin Fairs returned to Rice as an assistant coach in February of 2025. This marks Fairs’ second stint on the Rice coaching staff, first coaching as a volunteer assistant in 2020. Fairs joins the staff following her retirement from professional volleyball. Most recently, Fairs played for Athletes Unlimited Professional Volleyball and served on the Athletes Unlimited Executive Board. Fairs signed her first professional contract with Engelholms in the Swedish league and went on to win the 2015-16 Elitserien (Swedish volleyball women’s championships). Afterwards, she would go on to play in Turkey (Maltepe Yali SK), Puerto Rico (Polluelas de Aibonito) and Romania (CSM Targoviste). After finishing the 2017-18 season in Romania, Fairs was a member of “Team Dream,” which won the USA Adult Open National Championship. The squad was the first ever all-African American team to compete in the women’s open division at the event. She then signed to play volleyball in Italy with Omag San Giovanni in Marignano before playing with Aris Thessloniki in Greece. She would conclude her international playing days in 2021 when she returned to Puerto Rico, this time playing for Valencianas de Juncos. Fairs’ final season of college volleyball was spent at Louisville, where she was named an AVCA Honorable Mention All-American, leading the Cardinals in kills (424) and solo blocks (19). She was an ACC All-Preseason pick and had 5 matches with 20 or more kills. She scored double digit points in all but thr

Taylor Stallman is currently entering his first season with Rice Volleyball. He was announced as assistant coach for the volleyball program in March of 2025....