Washington tabbed new Cougar coach

Melinda Washington, who played under the Kreklows in 1990 at Columbia College and at Eldon High under Wayne, will be announced today as the new head coach at an 11 a.m. press conference at Southwell Gymnasium.

After Wayne and Susan Kreklow decided to leave Columbia College to take over at the helm of the MU women’s volleyball program, the Cougars sought someone with strong coaching experience and familiarity with the team to ease the transition.

Washington, a Cougar alumna who has maintained close contact with the team, fulfilled the bill.

Washington has been the head coach of the Westminster College women’s volleyball team, an NCAA Division III school in Fulton, since 1997.

During the 1999 season, she led the Blue Jays to a 23-6 record in the St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference. She was also named the conference coach of the year.

Washington’s last match with the Blue Jays was a first-round loss to seven-time champion Washington University in the NCAA Division III Central Region Volleyball Tournament.

Although Washington hasn’t formally been involved with the Columbia College program in recent years, she’s no stranger around campus. Washington has been involved with the Columbia College summer camp for the past five years and has kept up with the team since graduating in 1990.

“A lot of the things I do are going to be like Susan and Wayne, but a little bit different as well,” Washington said. “Hopefully I can bring another competitive team that will represent the college well.”

Washington says that next year will be a rebuilding year with the loss of two middle blockers in Dominique Savage and 1999 and 1998 NAIA All-American Mariuska Hamilton. But she is looking forward to the challenge of continuing a 110-match winning streak and two-straight NAIA national titles.

It’s not as if the Kreklows are leaving the cupboard bare either. The Cougars will return NAIA Player of the Year Deng Yang, outside hitter Wang Jiang Ping and South American imports Endrina Sosa of Venezuela and Juliana Godoi of Brazil.

“There’s a tradition at Columbia College of success, and I really hold the program very high,” Washington said. “I look to get some students in there that are going to be not just good athletes, but are also going to be ambassadors to the school, who are going to be good people off the court as well. I hold that very high.”

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