As a college volleyball coach, Dawn Cady Sullivan will be able to relate to her players. While a student-athlete at Kansas State, Sullivan went from defensive specialist as a freshman to the schools first volleyball all-American as a senior. Now, Sullivan joins Illinois State coach Sharon Dingmans staff as an assistant coach fresh from a season playing professional volleyball for the Grand Rapids Force of the United States Professional Volleyball League.
The last two years, the 24-year-old Marshall, Minn. native was a student assistant coach at her alma mater, Kansas State. She also as an assistant coach with the Flint Hill Volleyball Club in Manhattan, Kansas, working with the 18-year-old team.
Sullivan is impressed with Redbird volleyball and working with Dingman.
Its a great program with a highly-respected head coach, she said. Im looking forward to having a great experience and making a contribution to the program. Sharons personality, knowledge of volleyball, ability to teach and relate to the players is very impressive.
Sullivans intensity and playing background attracted Dingmans attention.
The things she can bring to our players because of her experience as an all-American are tremendous, said Dingman. She understands the role coaches play in athletes development. Some colleagues I really respect recommended her. She is incredibly intense as a player and will bring that to her coaching.
Kansas States volleyball media guide calls her one of the most decorated players in Kansas State history. Sullivan set 11 school records and four Big 12 marks during her career, ranking No. 2 in career kills and digs. She was a lst Team All-Big XII Conference Academic selection from 1996-99. A team captain in 1999, she played on four straight Wildcat teams which reached the NCAA Tournament and was a member of the athletic departments honor roll every semester. Sullivan was the Kansas College Female Athlete of the Year in 2000.
She played for Jim McLaughlin her final three seasons at Kansas State, coached for him in 2000 and was on the 2001 staff of Wildcat mentor Suzie Fritz after McLaughlin moved on to Washington.
During her undergraduate days, she served as an intern in the KSU office of athletic compliance. She also worked as a student-athlete ambassador and a camp instructor while at Kansas State. She married Josh Sullivan in 2000.
