Macalester Today

Winning isn't everything. But for head volleyball coach Steph Schleuder, who's closing in on her 700th career victory, it's been a remarkably common occurrence.

After more than four decades as a player and coach, Steph Schleuder knows as much about volleyball as anyone in the game today. Still, when she arrived at Macalester in 1998, she admits that her new athletes threw her for a bit of a loop.

Shortly before the season began, over box lunches after a scrimmage at St. Thomas, several team members were in deep discussion--but it wasn't about digs, kills, or serves, the standard shop talk for players. "They were talking about the upcoming election issues--AIDS, immigration, health care," she says. "They were incredibly bright, passionate, and articulate."

Schleuder, who had spent her career coaching Division I volleyball teams before joining Macalester, says it was a refreshing change to work with students whose lives extended so broadly beyond the sports they played. For Macalester, Schleuder's arrival heralded an equally important change. "When we hired Steph, it made a statement to the conference that Macalester takes athletics seriously," says Vice President and Dean of Students Laurie Hamre. "She was the first coach that we brought in who had had national exposure, and showed that athletics was another area where we could be excellent."

Schleuder lived up to her reputation in the very first season, coaching the team to a 19-11 record, good for a third-place finish in the MIAC and Mac's best winning percentage since 1982. Since then, Macalester has continued to field competitive teams, and Schleuder enters her 10th season at the college this fall on track to tally her 700th career victory. Her current total of 692 victories ranks her fourth among all active Division III volleyball coaches. Schleuder shrugs off the milestone. "Mainly, it means you've been around a long time," she jokes.

Setting Records

Head volleyball coach Steph Schleuder has guided several volleyball programs to the top of their game.

Year	School	Wins-Losses
1972	Bemidji State	13-4
1974-1981	Alabama	285-108
1982-1994	University of Minnesota	263-173
1998-2006	Macalester	131-119
	Overall Record	692-404

Even if she doesn't put much stock in numbers, her performance has garnered respect from her colleagues. In addition to serving as president of the American Volleyball Coaches Association--the only Division III coach to do so--she's also received the Karen Johnson Human Relations Award and George Fisher Leader in Volleyball Award from USA Volleyball for her work on behalf of the sport.

Her years as a coach have netted her more than just numbers and accolades, however. Of all of her accomplishments, she's proudest of the relationships she's sustained with her players. "I get Christmas cards from players who now have children of their own playing collegiately," she says. "I really value that."

She's earned the admiration of her players by using a collaborative, rather than an authoritative, approach. "My job as a coach is to help players be successful and to problem-solve with them," she says. She encourages players to focus not just on acquiring physical strength, speed, and power, but on addressing the mental aspects--from strategy to visualization--to improve their game.

Kari Tanaka '08 (Bloomington, Minn.), a setter and team captain, says that Schleuder's guidance has helped her prepare well and make good decisions under pressure--skills that apply off the court as well. "She makes sure we have the best opportunity for success," she says.

Schleuder knows that some might view her move from Division I to Division III coaching as a step down--a move precipitated, in part, by a protracted pay equity dispute with the University of Minnesota. Still, she's philosophical about the change. Division I might offer more publicity, but coaching at a Division III school like Macalester offers significant rewards as well.

"Students here are exceptionally bright, and have been successful in virtually everything they've done academically," she says. "Sports present a new challenge because they're not always going to succeed. They learn about failure and teamwork. They learn a lot about themselves."

Schleuder knows she helps young women athletes with more than just volleyball skills: she helps them develop confidence, discipline, and leadership. And whether they're hitting the books or hitting the ball, those are attributes that will benefit them for a lifetime.