LMU Women’s Volleyball has declared the hiring of two new workers associates for the 2023 season. Sarah Smevog and Kolby O’Donnell will serve as the newest assistant coach and affiliate head coach below Trent Kersten.
“I’m thrilled to welcome Kolby and Sarah to our LMU volleyball plan,” states Kersten.
Smevog comes to LMU from San Jose Condition University. Smevog is a former player at SJSU and was coached by Kersten in 2020, 2021 and 2022. Though at SJSU Smevog grew to become a four-time Mountain West Scholar-Athlete and a 3-time Tutorial All-Mountain West honoree. Smevog is also the ninth player in SJSU history with 1,708 occupation dig. She was also an Arthur Ashe Jr. Sports activities Scholar in 2022.
“I am extremely psyched to be signing up for the LMU volleyball method,” says Smevog. “I want to thank Head Coach Trent Kersten for giving me the chance and believing in my skill as a man or woman and mentor to add to the championship lifestyle becoming cultivated below at LMU”.
Smevog is from Corona, CA graduated in 2022 with a degree in environmental research.
“Sarah is a person that I have constructed an huge total of believe in with. She is an unbelievable connector and has a get the job done ethic that is unmatched,” says Kersten. “She has been a leader on/off the courtroom for. Me and I am fired up to keep her influencing our sport her at LMU.”

Before coming to LMU, O’Donnell was the assistant mentor, for 5 seasons, at Texas A&M University. Prior to A&M, O’Donnell coached at Louisville, exactly where he designed an quick influence and helped the Cardinals not only double their quantity of wins from the preceding year, but also helped guideline them to the Atlantic Coast Convention championship and a return to the NCAA Match.
In 2013 O’Donnell joined UC Santa Barbara coaching workers serving at the associate head coach of the Gauchos. O’Donnell also served as the recruiting coordinator at UCSB. O’Donnell experienced also served as an assistant at the College of Miami, in which he helped the Hurricanes to a 25-6 all round document and an visual appearance in the NCAA Match.
His initially coaching end was at Radford University, where by he was an assistant from 2006-08.
“I am honored to be aspect of the LMU spouse and children. I could not go up the option to be section of a prestigious establishment and bring my family members again to California,” says O’Donnell. “Talking with Trent and understanding the eyesight Craig Pintens and Ashley Armstrong have for the plan designed this a no-brainer work for me. I won’t be able to hold out to meet the team and get to do the job.”
O’Donnell graduated from Lees-McRae College where he was the captain for two seasons for the Men’s Volleyball staff. He graduated with a diploma in sports activities administration in 2006.
He and his wife, Taukia, have 3 sons, Remy, Jameson and Huxley.
“Kolby delivers a wealth of awareness and an immense quantity of knowledge coaching at the high stage,” says Kersten. “He is also an elite recruiter, and I am thrilled to strike the highway with him this 12 months to find future Lions.”
“Their influence will be tremendous on our staff and I can’t wait to get everyone in the health and fitness center collectively,” states Kersten.
Make confident to check out out the LMU women’s volleyball next season in Gersten Pavilion.



