Clever volleyball took home the fourth-place title in head coach Dan Evans’ first and only year with the program.
“I feel like, when he came in to be our coach, I felt like it was different at first and then we kind of got used to it,” said Clever senior Audrey Riley.
Riley is one of four senior Blue Jays playing in her third varsity season. Each one has been under a new head coach with the volleyball program seeing four new head coaches over the past four years.
This year’s coach is quite the change from Evans.
“Coming straight out of college and getting into it, I still physically can do a lot of the stuff they can do,” said Clever Head Volleyball Coach Mackenzie Stoner.
Stoner played volleyball for Evangel from 2020-2023, quickly shifting from player to coach.
“When I first got here it was a lot of like ‘Hey I know this is new, I know it’s different. It’s difficult and you are adjusting.’ But a lot of ‘I’m proud of you. You’re killing it,” Stoner said.
“Having different coaches every year has been different, but I feel like all the coaches have been understanding about it,” Riley said. “And not walking in like I’m going to change everything about everything. It’s been more like I’m working with you guys not against you guys.”
Coach Stoner brings some Gen Z tactics.
“There’s like a TikTok trend that’s like ‘never back down never what’, and they’re like ‘never give up’. And I make them say it over and over again,” Stoner said.
“She’s almost like our best friend,” said Clever senior Chandlyr Friend. “She’s so young, we can relate to so many things. But at the same time, we still respect her, she’s still our head coach.”
Coach Stoner rejuvenated the squad.
“Now with coach coming in she brings just as much or more energy and it gets us going,” Riley said.
And it just might be the difference maker to get Clever to the final four again, and maybe even one step farther.
