College of Charleston Athletics

Jason Kepner concluded his 18th season as the head coach of the College of Charleston volleyball program in the fall of 2024 as the school’s all-time wins leader with an overall record of 369-191 and a conference mark of 213-73.

2024 (Overall Record: 25-9, CAA: 15-3)

• Won the CAA Regular Season and Conference Championship in the program's 50th season.
• Tynley Smeltzer earned 2024 CAA Volleyball Libero of the Year and Second Team All-CAA honors. Smeltzer is the first player in program history to earn a major conference award in back-to-back seasons.
• Smeltzer became the eighth player in program history to reach 1,500 career digs.
• Emily Banitt and Caitlyn Callahan garnered First Team All-CAA honors.
• Allie Holland was named the CAA Tournament Most Outstanding Player.
• Callahan was named College Sports Communicators (CSC) Academic All-American Third Team, the third player in program history to earn the honor.
• Charleston's 17 regular season home wins were the most by a non-Power 4 program and only second in the nation behind Nebraska's 18.
• Set a program record with 348.0 total blocks.
• The team's 2,109 total digs finished top-25 in the country.
• Charleston had 10-plus blocks in 17 of its 34 matches, including at least 14 in nine contests.
• CofC also held opponent to a .130 attacking percentage or worse in 18 of the 34 games and below .100 in 12 matchups. 
• Callahan and Holland finished the year with the most blocks by a pair of Charleston teammates since 2006.
• Callahan tied Tiffany Blum for the program record with seven blocks in an NCAA Tournament match, achieving the mark in just one set.

2023 (Overall Record: 14-16, CAA: 11-7)

• Led CAA in digs per set, team attacks per set, team digs and team total attacks.
• Junior Tynley Smeltzer was named the 2023 CAA Volleyball Libero of the Year and earned First Team All-CAA honors
• Smeltzer lead the league in digs per set (5.04) and won Defensive Player of the Week on four separate occasions. Smeltzer set career-highs in digs (408) and digs per set on the defensive side as well as assists (69) and service aces (29) while playing in 104 of the Cougars' 106 sets
• Senior outside hitter Lexi Wierzbicki earned Second Team All-CAA honors
• Wierzbicki set career-high marks in kills per set (3.08), assists, service aces and digs after making the move to a six rotation outside hitter
• Sofie Vogel earned CAA player of the week alongside Sopheea Mink on November 6.

2022 (Overall Record: 14-16, CAA: 9-7)

• Ranked second in the CAA in both hitting percentage (.215) and blocks (2.34).
• Graduate student middle blocker Claire Campbell was named to the All-CAA Second Team.
• Charleston set a single-match program-record with 17 service aces in the season opener against Fresno State (Aug. 26).
• Sophomore Anna Smith tied the individual five-set, single-match record with six against Fresno State.
• Senior Emma Falk delivered the second-most blocks in a three-set match with 10 against Northeastern (Oct. 15).
• Falk also tied for the third-most blocks in a three-set match with nine at Charleston Southern (Sept. 16).
• Campbell ranked third in the CAA in hitting percentage (.358), which was good for sixth on the program’s single-season hitting percentage rankings in the rally-scoring era.
• Falk (1.20) and Campbell (0.93) ranked second and ninth, respectively, in the league in blocks per set.
• Falk’s average of 1.20 blocks per set ranked ninth on the program’s single-season list during the rally-scoring era.
• Falk concludes her career at CofC ranked third all-time in blocks per set (1.26).
• Sophomore Tynley Smeltzer ranked sixth in the CAA in digs per set (3.90).

2021 (Overall Record: 16-12, CAA: 9-7)

• Charleston led the CAA in digs per set (15.11).
• Junior outside hitter Lexi Wierzbicki was selected to the All-CAA First Team.
• Freshman setter Jasmin Goei earned a spot on the CAA All-Rookie Team.
• The Cougars recorded the program’s fifth-highest single-season service aces total during the rally-scoring era with 195.
• Program’s second-highest single-season service aces per set average (1.74) during the rally-scoring era.
• The Cougars set a four-set, single-match record with 13 aces at Northeastern (Nov. 6).
• CofC also established a five-set, single-match mark with 12 aces against UNCW (Nov. 13).
• Sophomore Sammy Campion twice tied the individual five-set, single-match record with six aces against Howard (Sept. 3) and UNCW (Nov. 13).
• Junior Cat Schmid set a four-set, single-match record with seven aces at Northeastern (Nov. 6).
• Senior Molly Russell compiled the 10^th-best single-season hitting percentage during the rally scoring era (.340), which was also good for fifth in the CAA.
• Freshmen Emma Appleman, Anna Smith and Tynley Smeltzer each earned CAA Rookie of the Week honors.
• Appleman and Goei ranked seventh and eighth, respectively, in assists per set.
• Campion ranked second in the league in both aces (0.50) and digs per set (4.25).
• Wierzbicki ranked sixth in the CAA in kills per set (3.03).

2020 (Overall Record: 5-6, CAA: 4-4)

• Team ranked third nationally in blocks per set (3.14) and 10^th in opponent hitting percentage (0.127).
• Senior libero Logan Manusky was named the program’s third CAA Libero/Defensive Specialist of the Year.
• Manusky also earned a spot on the All-CAA First Team while senior outside hitter Hazel Brown was recognized on the All-CAA Second Team.
• Sophomore middle blocker Emma Falk led the CAA, ranked third nationally and set a CofC single-season record with an average of 1.65 blocks per set.
• Manusky led the CAA and ranked 26^th nationally averaging 5.33 digs per set.

• Program’s first losing season since 2000
• Team ranked second in the CAA in digs per set (15.49)
• Manusky earned All-CAA Second Team recognition after leading the league with 4.85 digs per set.
• Senior Lauren Freed became the 10^th player in program history to record 1,000 kills and 1,000 digs in her career. 

• Advanced to the semifinal round of the National Invitational Volleyball Championship, the deepest postseason run in CAA history.
• Defeated St. John’s, Georgia Tech and Clemson before falling to Tulane in four sets in the semifinal round.
• Team ranked second in the nation in total assists and third in total kills.
• Senior Devon Rachel became the program’s third overall and second consecutive CAA Player of the Year while also earning AVCA All-Region First Team honors.
• Rachel also became the ninth player in school history to record 1,000 kills and 1,000 digs in her career.
• Senior Kennedy Madison established herself as the second player in school history to earn AVCA All-America Honorable Mention recognition.
• Senior setter Allison Beckman finished her career second all-time in assists (5,016) and is one of only four players in school history to record 4,000 assists and 1,000 digs in her career.
• Beckman became only the second player at CofC to record at least 1,000 assists in four straight seasons.
• Senior libero McKala Rhodes wrapped her career ranked third all-time with 2,003 digs.
• Led the CAA in kills (14.17) and assists (13.39) per set.
• Second in the league in hitting percentage (.249).

• First team in CAA history to earn an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament.
• Won the CAA regular season title with a 15-1 mark in league play.
• Krissy Mummey garnered the program’s second CAA Player of the Year award while setting a single-season school record with a .410 hitting percentage.
• Kepner was named the CAA Coach of the Year for the second time in his career.
• Junior Allison Beckman collected the program’s second CAA Setter of the Year honors and also earned AVCA All-Region Honorable Mention recognition.
• Led the league in hitting percentage (.255) while ranking second in opponent hitting percentage (.159), kills (14.12) and assists per set (13.14).

• Advanced to the CAA semifinals
• Senior Maddie Hills was named to the All-CAA Second Team alongside sophomore Kennedy Madison.
• Sophomore Allison Beckman nabbed a spot on the All-CAA Third Team.
• Team ranked fifth in the nation in attacks per set (38.77).
• Ranked second in the CAA in kills (13.64), assists (12.82) and digs (17.16) per set.

• CAA Tournament runner-up
• Reached the CAA title match for the third straight season
• First-ever No. 5 seed to reach the championship match
• Sixth straight season with at least 20 wins
• Senior Melissa Morello was named to the All-CAA First Team and ended her career ranked in the top-10 all-time at CofC in both career kills and digs.
• Beckman and Madison each collected All-CAA Third Team and CAA All-Rookie honors.

• CAA Regular Season Champions
• CAA Tournament runner-up
• Team’s seven graduating seniors concluded their careers with a five-year overall record of 131-39.
• That group also posted a .900 winning percentage in conference play while winning five conference championships and making three NCAA appearances.
• Andi Zbojniewicz was named the CAA Defensive Specialist of the Year
• Sloane White garnered All-CAA First Team honors while Cara Howley and Zbojniewicz each earned a spot on the All-CAA Second Team
• Led the nation in total digs (2,380) and ranked fourth in digs per set (18.03)
• Zbojniewicz ranked ninth nationally in total digs (665)

• Won the CAA Tournament in program’s first season in the league
• Swept the CAA’s major awards including Kepner’s second career Coach of the Year nod
• Darcy Dorton won CAA Player of the Year, Kallie McKown was named both CAA Setter and Defensive Specialist of the Year.
• Sloane White earned a spot on the All-CAA First Team
• Dorton became the first two-time All-American in program history and was also the first CofC player to be named Preseason Player of the Year, Player of the Year and Tournament Most Outstanding Player in the same season.
• Led the CAA in hitting percentage (.255), kills (13.90), and assists (12.98) 

• SoCon Tournament Champion
• Registered the program’s first-ever win over a ranked opponent with a 3-2 defeat of No. 23 Miami in the NCAA First Round.
• Advanced to the NCAA Second Round for the second time in program history.
• Finished the season with an NCAA RPI of 45 – the highest in Kepner’s tenure and second-highest in school history behind the 2005 squad’s rank of 26^th.
• Dorton collected AVCA All-America Honorable Mention accolades in addition to All-SoCon First Team honors.
• Sloane White and Melissa Morello were named to the All-CAA Second Team and CAA All-Freshman Team, respectively.
• Ranked second in the SoCon in blocks per set (2.00).

• SoCon Regular Season Champion
• SoCon Tournament runner-up
• Senior Elysse Chubb collected All-SoCon First Team honors for the third straight season.
• Sloane White was tabbed SoCon Freshman of the Year.
• Senior Sarah Havel garnered All-SoCon First Team recognition while also earning Lowe’s Senior CLASS All-America First Team accolades.
• Havel led the league in blocks per set (1.05)

• SoCon Regular Season Champion
• SoCon Tournament runner-up
• Senior Cole Dawley was named SoCon Player of the Year and finished her career with 3,737 assists.
• Dawley, Sarah Havel and Elysse Chubb each earned a spot on the All-SoCon First Team.
• Ranked second in the SoCon in hitting percentage (.258) and blocks per set (2.39)

• SoCon Tournament Champion
• NCAA First Round
• Cole Dawley and Elysse Chubb were each named to the All-SoCon First Team.
• Ginny Phillips and Sarah Havel both nabbed All-SoCon Second Team honors.
• Led the SoCon in blocks per set (2.53)

• SoCon Regular Season Champion
• SoCon Tournament runner-up
• Kepner was named SoCon Coach of the Year for the first time in his career
• Elysse Chubb collected the program’s second consecutive SoCon Freshman of the Year honors.
• Chubb also earned a spot on the All-SoCon Second Team alongside Emily Sawin
• Cole Dawley garnered All-SoCon First Team recognition
• Team led the SoCon in blocks per set (2.62)
• Team also ranked second in hitting percentage (.245), opponent hitting percentage (.151), kills (13.52) and assists (12.31). 

• SoCon Tournament Champion
• NCAA First Round
• Fourth-straight SoCon Tournament championship and NCAA Tournament appearance
• Team won 22 of its last 25 matches
• Cole Dawley garnered SoCon Freshman of the Year honors
• Tiffany Blum and Lindsey Kane were both named to the All-SoCon First Team
• Annie Uthe earned a spot on the All-SoCon Second Team
• Team led the SoCon in kills (15.78) and assists (14.52)
• Ranked second in hitting percentage (.239), opponent hitting percentage (.162) and blocks (2.65)

• Spent five seasons as an assistant coach at the University of Pittsburgh
• Helped guide the Panthers to two NCAA Tournament appearances and a Big East conference title.
• Mentored two Big East Players of the Year, two AVCA All-Region selections and one AVCA All-American.
• The Panthers compiled a 106-48 overall record during his tenure while making four consecutive appearances in the Big East Tournament.
• Kepner spent the 2001 season as an assistant coach at Nicholls State

• Played four seasons at Penn State where he earned AVCA and Volleyball Magazine All-America Second Team honors as a senior in 1997.
• Member of Penn State’s 1994 National Championship team.
• Tied for 10^th all-time at Penn State with 88 career service aces.
• Ranks among the all-time leaders in both kills and digs.
• Played professionally in the Netherlands (1997-98).
• Member of the USA National B Team that competed at the 1997 World University Games in Sicily, Italy.
• Member of the USA Junior National Team in 1991.
• All-America First Team Silver Division MVP as a member of the 1995 USA Open Nationals Team Reston.
• Inducted into the Pennsylvania Volleyball Hall of Fame in 2004.
• Inducted into the EIVA Hall of Fame in 2020.

• Earned a Bachelor’s degree in Administration of Justice from Penn State in 1997.
• Married to the former Kimberly Seaman.
• Has three children.