Kelsey Klopfer completed her first season as an assistant coach on the Ithaca College women's volleyball staff in 2018.
She assisted the program to a 21-8 record in her debut on South Hill in 2018, helping the program capture a second consecutive NCAA Regional Championship and berth to the NCAA Quarterfinals. Four student-athletes earned All-Liberty League praise under her tutelage, including sophomore right-side hitter Reagan Stone capturing Liberty League Performer of the Year honors. Three Bombers went on to earn AVCA All-Region praise in Stone, junior setter Caitlyn Floyd, and senior middle hitter Katie Evans. Stone and Floyd went on to earn Second- and Third-Team All-America honors, the first time the program has posted multiple All-Americans on one of the three teams since 1995.
Klopfer joined the program after spending two seasons as the head coach of Onondaga Community College’s women’s volleyball program for the past two seasons. Taking over the program in 2016 after serving as an assistant coach during the 2015 campaign, Klopfer led the Lazers to a 48-19 record during her two seasons in charge. She also helped guide six players to All-Conference honors, four to All-Region accolades, while she had one MSAC Player of the Year and one MSAC Defensive Player of the Year honoree during her time with the program. She will be Ithaca’s new assistant coach, taking the role of former assistant Kaley Vogel, who moved on following two excellent seasons with the program in 2016 and 2017.
In her first season in charge of the program, Klopfer helped the program to a 16-17 overall record. Her coaching impact and acumen is best showcased by the program’s development from her first year to her second. The Lazers posted a 32-2 record this past fall en route to capturing a MSAC Championship and NJCAA Regional Runner-Up finish.
She was in charge of all aspects of the program, which included: the planning and execution of practices, recruiting, monitoring academic progress and performance, overseeing a staff of two assistant coaches, scheduling and travel, as well as budget management. While at OCC, she was also a member of the institution’s Diversity Council.
Klopfer also has several years of experience at the Prep and Club ranks. She has been an assistant coach for the 18-Under Team at Onondaga Volleyball Club since December of 2016. She also spent two years as the 17-Under head coach with the CNY Blast Volleyball Club. She also had assistant coaching stops at Baldwinsville High School and Oneonta High School over four seasons, while she Co-Directed and helped coach at camps held at SUNY Oneonta during her collegiate career.
Klopfer was a four-year player during her high school career at Baldwinsville from 2004-to-2007. She earned First Team All-League and First Team All-State honors during her career, which saw the team earn League-, Sectional- and Regional Championships, as well as a State Runner-Up finish.
She went on to play collegiately at SUNY Oneonta, serving as Team Captain and earning several work ethic and character team honors. Playing primarily as a setter and defensive specialist, she amassed 58 kills, 117 service aces, 1,434 assists and 637 digs during her collegiate career.
Updated: 12/5/2018
