University of Northern Colorado Volleyball

Lyndsey Oates was named Northern Colorado's fourth head women's volleyball coach on August 8, 2005, just three days before the start of fall camp. Prior to taking over the program, she spent two seasons as an assistant coach for the Bears. Since her appointment, Oates has guided Northern Colorado's transition from an NCAA Division II powerhouse to a consistent contender at the Division I level. She led the Bears to their first Division I conference postseason championship and NCAA Tournament appearance in 2009. Most recently, Oates added to her legacy by leading the Bears to the 2025 Big Sky Conference Tournament Championship, securing another automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament. Under her leadership, the program has captured 14 Big Sky Championships and earned eight NCAA Tournament appearances. Oates has been named Big Sky Conference Coach of the Year five times (2009, 2011, 2014, 2019, and 2024). Oates has coached 51 All-Big Sky selections, including 21 First Team honorees. She has also developed 4 Big Sky MVPs: Kelley Arnold (2011), Daisy Schultz (2019), Syd Cole (2022, 2024) Brynn Reines (Tournament MVP 2025). In 2022, Cole became the first AVCA All-American in program history. Success under Oates extends beyond the court. The Bears have earned 14 consecutive AVCA Team Academic Awards, maintaining a team GPA of 3.30 or higher. Oates has also provided her student-athletes with international experiences, leading overseas tours to Eastern China (2008), Nicaragua (2012), and

Colin Heath was named an Assistant Volleyball Coach in February 2026. A native from Winnetka, Illinois, Heath joins the Bears after serving as a graduate assistant coach with the University of Nebraska volleyball program. During his time with the Huskers, he played a key role in fostering team cohesion, contributing to strategic game planning, and supporting the development of student-athletes. Known for his strong emotional intelligence and detailed, constructive feedback, Heath earned recognition for building trust within the program and enhancing technical development through accurate scouting and individualized coaching. While at Nebraska, Heath assisted with daily practice execution and adapted coaching techniques to meet the individual needs of athletes. He produced more than 50 detailed scouting reports through film evaluation and statistical trend analysis, strengthening game preparation and competitive strategy. Heath earned his Bachelor of Science in Business Management from George Mason University in May 2024 and competed on the Patriots' Division I men's volleyball team from 2021 to 2024. A versatile athlete, he played both libero and outside hitter and was named Academic All-Conference from 2022 through 2024. He also received EIVA All-Conference Honorable Mention honors in 2024 and was awarded the Iron Patriot Award the same year. In addition to his collegiate experience, Heath served as a club coach with Nebraska ONE Volleyball Club. As an assistant coach for th

Jadyn McCartney, who played for the Bears from 2017-2020, joined the coaching staff as the director of volleyball operations, head coach Lyndsey Oates announ...

Janae McDonnell was announced as assistant volleyball coach in June of 2022. In 2022, she helped the Bears win the Big Sky regular season and Tournament championships, earning a bid to the NCAA tournament for the seventh time. McDonnell brings years of both coaching and playing experience to UNC. In 2019, she worked as an assistant coach for Montana where she mostly worked with outside hitters and defensive specialists and ran all their summer camps. Prior to UNC she served as an assistant coach for one season at Colorado State. She will return to the Big Sky with a wealth of experience as a player in the conference to share with UNC players as well. Thanks to her four stellar years at Northern Arizona, McDonnell is first in program history in kills, kills per set, attacks and sets played. Throughout her college career, she was a five-time Big Sky Player of the Week, Big Sky Regular Season MVP and Big Sky Tournament MVP her senior season. McDonnell also earned All-Big Sky first-team recognition three times. She currently ranks 7th all-time in Big Sky Conference history for kills. After college, she played professional volleyball for two seasons in Sweden and France. No stranger to the Centennial State, the Colorado Springs native played all four years at Cheyenne Mountain High School, where she also holds the school kills record and was named the Denver Post 4A Player of the Year. During her high school career, she led her team to two consecutive state titles. McDonnell earne