University of Southern Mississippi Athletics
Luyties Announces Additions To Coaching Staff
7/19/2006 12:00:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
July 19, 2006
HATTIESBURG, Miss. - Head Volleyball Coach Ricci Luyties announced the hiring of Abbey Sutherland as an Assistant Coach today. In addition, Luyties announced that former player Jazzmien Stephens will be a graduate assistant coach.
"I know both of them well," Head Coach Ricci Luyties said. "I'm glad to have them join the coaching staff. They will be great additions."
"We're fortunate to get these women on the coaching staff," Senior Woman Administrator Sonya Varnell said. "They both have a bright future and we're excited to have them at Southern Miss."
Sutherland enters her third season with the Southern Miss volleyball program, her first as a full-time assistant, after serving as a graduate assistant for the past two years. Sutherland's duties will include on-the-floor coaching, recruiting, scouting and team travel.
"I'm excited to continue my coaching career at Southern Miss," Sutherland said. "I love what I'm doing and I like working with Coach Luyties. Good things are going to happen here."
"Abbey is going to be a great coach," Luyties said. "She gets along with the players and knows what I want, after being my graduate assistant for the past two years."
Prior to coming to Southern Miss, Sutherland was a standout setter at St. Norbert College in DePere, Wis., where she was a four-year letterwinner. She finished her career with 4,554 assists, 1,503 digs and 128 aces. Sutherland was a three-time first-team all-conference selection and a two-time conference player of the year. She twice received honorable mention all-region honors.
Sutherland helped her team finish first in the Midwest Conference in 2002 and advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament. She was voted her team's most valuable player as a junior and senior and also received academic all-conference honors.
She prepped at West Bend West High School in West Bend, Wis., where she was a three-year letterwinner in volleyball. She was a first-team all-county selection, second-team all-conference and honorable mention all-state. She received the Coaches' and Hustle Awards. She played in the Wisconsin All-Star match, and helped her team to three conference titles.
The West Bend, Wis., native received her bachelor's degree in Spanish and secondary education in 2004 from St. Norbert College and completed her master's degree in art in teaching languages, with a Spanish emphasis from Southern Miss in 2006.
Stephens recently completed her eligibility as part of the Lady Eagle volleyball team. She was a four-year letterwinner, starting the last three seasons. She finished her career ranked in the top 20 in several categories, including kills (720), attack attempts (2,084), attack percentage (.272), block solos (40), block assists (309), total blocks (349), blocks per game (.85), points (1,111.5), games played (409) and matches played (115).
"Jazzmien is going to get a lot of experience," Luyties said. "We have a full squad that will help her learn about all aspects of coaching."
"I am excited to begin my coaching career at Southern Miss, where I played," Stephens said. "I love being at Southern Miss and I'm looking forward to learning more about coaching volleyball under Coach Luyties."
In 2003, Stephens helped Southern Miss to a program best 27-6 record, including a 11-3 mark in Conference USA.
Stephens attended Lakewood High School, where she was a four-year letterwinner in volleyball. She received the team's captain award during her senior campaign and garnered first-team all-league honors.
The Lakewood, Calif., native received her bachelor's degree from Southern Miss in health education in 2004.
