Stacey Aldredge, associate head coach on Northwestern State University of Louisiana’s Lady Demon volleyball team, has been on staff for nine years and has contributed a new energy into the team. This has led to her success to rise in rankings under associate head coaches and in future head coaching considerations, according to an article titled “VolleyballMag’s College Coaching Hotshots list.”
Stacey Aldredge was a former student-athlete at NSU as an outside hitter for the Lady Demons volleyball team. At that time, the program was not the best and did not have any playoff success.
“When I played the team wasn’t very good, but it did not stop my passion for the sport and my love to play the game,” Aldredge said. With this love and passion and her will to win, she led the Lady Demons to their first playoff in 2014.
At the end of her student-athlete journey, she finished as a three-time All-American.
After graduating with a bachelor’s degree in family and consumer services. Stacey Aldredge served as a volunteer assistant coach for Clemson University women’s volleyball team and in 2016 she helped build a program in Natchitoches Central High school.
Once her time was done there, she was hired by head coach Sean Kiracofe as a graduate assistant in 2017. After five years working as a graduate assistant, she was promoted in 2022 as associate head coach.
“The hiring process and interviews were a long and dueling process. And her interview was long and detailed. But I believe I made the right choice” head coach Sean Kiracofe said.
The knowledge she has brought to the team has given her a connection to the players. With the players seeing her as a second mother and someone they can rally behind, players said.
“Honestly she is like a second mother to me and I talk to her more than the head coach. It helps that she was a student-athlete herself,: Ashylynn Svoboda, junior biology major and libero position in the team, said. “Because she understands the trials that us players have to go through on a regular basis.”
Her dedication to players has led to individual players gaining success. Reaghan Thompson, sophomore middle blocker, and Teresa Garza, junior outside hitter, last year received All Louisiana honors. This led Reaghan Thompson to win Southland Conference player of the year last year as a sophomore. With the accomplishments rising on her resume, Stacey Aldredge’s name is popping up more and more on the associate head coaching list.
With Aldredge acknowledging a few thoughts: “I don’t really know what holds in the future for me. If a head coaching job comes I will discuss it and think about it,” she said. “But I really like it here with the players and the coaching staff and coaching my former alma mater. As long as I coach the sport I love and teach my knowledge to players who want to learn, that is my dream job no matter the place.”
