MNU President, Ed Robinson, announced the hiring of Kristin Vincent Steele as the Head Volleyball Coach. She replaces Rick Banis, who resigned in June. Steele comes from Redlands College (OK), where she was the head volleyball coach for 13 seasons. While at Redlands, her teams were ranked in the top-20 in ten of her thirteen seasons. Redlands advanced to the Region Tournament in all 13 seasons, captured 3 Regional Tourney titles, and advanced to the National Championship in 1999.
"Coach Steele was an exemplary student-athlete," says Dr. Robinson. "She is a highly successful coach on and off the court. Her experience combined with her commitment to Christ and her skills in using collegiate athletics as an opportunity to help young women grow in faith and character make Kristin well-suited for a servant leader's role in Pioneer Athletics. I am grateful for the assistance of the Search Committee and their unanimous recommendation of Coach Steele. I look forward to her contributions to the MNU Community."
Steele began coaching after a standout career as a player at the University of Central Oklahoma. In her time at UCO, she was a 4-year volleyball letter winner, an Academic All-Confernce Athlete, and a First Team All-Conference honoree. In 2008, she was inducted into UCO's Athletic Hall of Fame.
"I want to thank God for His mercy and grace in leading me to this time and place," says Steele. "I thank Dr. Robinson for the opportunity to be a part of such an exceptional university and athletic department. Coach Banis did an excellent job putting the pieces in place for MNU Volleyball to be a source of pride for the university and community, and I am looking forward to continuing his efforts. I am delighted to be a part of the MNU family and look forward to leading our student-athletes in their quest toward excellence."
Steele holds several records at the University of Central Oklahoma where she was a 4-year starter during her college playing years. Her records at UCO include the highest single season hitting average (.377), most career solo blocks (177) and the most assisted blocks (515) ever at the UCO. In addition, she ranks among the top in assisted blocks during a season in the Lone Star Conference, posting 164 as a sophomore.
Her coaching career is highlighted by having coached 3 All-Americans, 15 All-Region players and 18 Academic All-Americans.
Prior to starting the program at Redlands, Steele was an Assistant Coach at Edmond Memorial High School. She played high school volleyball at perennial power Martin High School in Arlington, Texas. A native of Arlington, she received her Bachelor of Science in Education from UCO in 1995. She and her husband Kevin live in Shawnee, KS.
