UCF promotes Jenny Maurer to volleyball head coach
UCF removed the “acting head coach” title from Jenny Maurer on Thursday and promoted her to the full-time job just three weeks after the program’s all-time winningest coach, Todd Dagenais, announced his resignation to pursue a professional job.
Maurer, who served as UCF’s associate head coach and recruiting coordinator since 2016, was a key piece to the Knights winning five straight American Athletic Conference championships before departing for the Big 12 Conference later this summer.
“Having spent the past seven years learning from coach Dagenais and all the staff members who have come through here, combined with my previous experiences as a head coach, I am both eager and ready for the challenges associated with competing in one of the top three volleyball conferences in the nation,” Maurer said in a press release.
Maurer is the third full-time head coach UCF athletics director Terry Mohajir has hired since his arrival to Orlando in 2021, joining football coach Gus Malzahn and women’s basketball coach Sytia Messer.
“We are excited for Jenny as we believe she brings the recruiting skills and coaching background that will enable her to be successful as she takes over our program,” Mohajir said in the release. “Volleyball has been one of our highest-achieving sports in recent years — and Jenny has been a big part of that. We are enthusiastic to see her build on that level of success.”
Although she’s been an assistant coach during her time in Orlando, Maurer has twice served as a head coach at the NCAA Division I level.
She joined the Knights after spending five seasons (2011-15) as head coach at Bradley University in Illinois. In her first three seasons there, Maurer led the Braves to 34 wins, the program’s most victories in a three-year stretch since 2003-05.
She also served as the head coach at Lehigh, where during her four years with the Mountain Hawks (2007-10) her team’s record improved each season.
“A special thank you to Todd for stealing me away from a D1 head coaching position to form a partnership that combined his knowledge and experience as a previous national team and Power 5 assistant coach with my knack for developing players and programs through building team culture from the ground up,” Maurer said. “This journey has been truly remarkable.”
Her role at UCF has included overseeing recruiting efforts, serving as offensive coordinator and training the setters.
She recruited McKenna Melville, five-time All-American and three-time AAC player of the year, and Amber Olson, who became UCF’s first AAC setter of the year in 2021.
“I would also like to thank Terry Mohajir and UCF president [Alex] Cartwright for recognizing that my impact on UCF volleyball transcends beyond the volleyball court,” Maurer said. “Regardless of my title, one of the major driving forces behind my passion for coaching volleyball has always been my ability to serve as a role model by empowering young female athletes to find their confidence and their voice while creating their own path to success.
“As head coach of Knights volleyball, I look forward to continuing to bring in and develop exceptional young women, academically and athletically, as we push to contend for national championships.”
Email Jason Beede at jbeede@orlandosentinel.com or follow him on Twitter at @therealBeede.
