The winningest coach in program history, Colleen Munson enters her 21st season at the helm of Western Michigan volleyball in 2025. During her tenure at WMU, Munson has posted 11 20-win seasons, including a program-record eight in a row from 2005-12. She has taken the Broncos to the NCAA Tournament in 2008, 2011, 2014, 2023 and 2024, including a berth in the Sweet 16 in 2008.
Taking over a program in 2005 that had finished better than third in the MAC West just three times since 1990, Munson has led Western Michigan to six MAC West championships, including outright MAC regular season titles in 2008 and 2023, MAC Tournament titles and trips to the NCAA Tournament in 2014, 2023 and 2024, and NCAA Tournament at-large bids in 2008 and 2011. The Broncos have turned University Arena into one of the best home court advantages in the MAC under Munson, boasting a 172-59 (.745) record at home.
Over the years, Munson has had the opportunity to coach players that have earned accolades on both the conference and national levels. Under Munson’s tutelage, the Broncos have had 52 All-MAC performers; won two MAC Player of the Year awards; six MAC Defensive Player of the Year awards; seven MAC Setter of the Year awards and seven MAC Freshman of the Year awards. On the national level, Lena Oliver was honored as a two-time COBRA Magazine National Defensive Player of the Year, and Ali Gossen and Kaycee Acree were both named to the 2012 USA National A2 Volleyball team. WMU has also boasted three All-Americans, four Academic All-Americans and nine AVCA All-Region selections during her tenure.
Munson has had strong success on the recruiting trail at Western Michigan as well. WMU's 2006, 2010 and 2014 classes received Highest Honorable Mention by Prep Volleyball, and the 2009, 2015, 2017 and 2020 classes were High Honorable Mention per Prep Volleyball.
After receiving votes in the AVCA/TARAFLEX preseason poll, the Broncos once again reached the 20-win mark in 2024, going 20-13 overall, 13-5 in conference play and returning to the NCAA Tournament after capturing their second consecutive MAC Tournament title. Along the way, Western Michigan upset #24 Marquette, its first victory over a top-25 opponent since 2003. As the No. 4 seed in the MAC Tournament, the Broncos won three matches in as many days, including taking out regular season champion and No. 1 seed Bowling Green on its home floor in the semifinals. The Brown and Gold then dispatched No. 3 seed Ball State in straight sets to earn an automatic berth in the NCAA Tournament, where they matched up with No. 4 Purdue in the first round. The victory over BSU in the championship match was the 400th at the helm for Munson, making her just the sixth head coach in the history of WMU Athletics to reach 400 career victories.
It was an historic campaign for fifth-year setter Logan Case, who became the first Western Michigan player to eclipse 6,000 career assists, and in the MAC Championship Match against Ball State, became the conference's all-time assists leader. She concluded her career with 6,476 assists, which ranked as the fifth-most in NCAA Division I history. A five-time All-MAC First Team selection, Case was named a College Sports Communicators Academic All-American for the third straight year and was accompanied by libero Andelyn Simkins as an AVCA All-North Region First Team selection. Simkins, who finished her career fourth on WMU's all-time career digs list with 2,262, also joined Case on the All-MAC First Team and won her second consecutive MAC Defensive Player of the Year award. Other accolades included senior middle blocker Madison Merz earning All-MAC Second Team honors, four Broncos being named CSC Academic All-District for the third straight year and nine student-athletes earning Academic All-MAC selections.
Western Michigan had one of the best seasons in program history in 2023, as it won both the MAC Regular Season and Tournament titles on the way to a 31-3 record, its first 30-win season since 1983. The Broncos went a perfect 18-0 in the conference to become the first team to go undefeated in MAC play since 2014. Munson's squad also went unbeaten at home (14-0) and boasted its longest winning streak (21) since 1983. WMU hosted and won the Mid-American Conference Championship to punch its ticket to the NCAA Tournament, its fourth berth under Munson. In the first round, the Brown and Gold ousted No. 7 seed Auburn in straight sets for their third NCAA Tournament win in Munson's tenure. Western Michigan received votes in the final AVCA/TARAFLEX poll of the season for the first time since 2008.
The historic season was littered with milestones and accolades for the Broncos, including for Munson. On Senior Day against Ball State, Western Michigan not only clinched the outright regular season title, but also secured Munson's 200th MAC win, making her just the fifth volleyball coach in conference history to reach that milestone. At the end of the season, Munson was voted the MAC Coach of the Year for the second time and was also selected as the AVCA Midwest Region Coach of the Year. A pair of Broncos earned All-American status, with Division I national assists leader Logan Case being named an AVCA Honorable Mention All-American, a Third Team All-American by VolleyballMag.com, the College Sports Communicators Academic All-America Team Member of the Year for NCAA DI Women's Volleyball and a CSC First Team Academic All-American for the second consecutive year. Additionally, Andelyn Simkins earned All-America Honorable Mention from VolleyballMag.com.
Case continued to etch herself in the WMU record books throughout the season, becoming the program's all-time assists leader on Oct. 17 against NIU and becoming the first player in program history to surpass 5,000 career assists in the MAC Championship match against Bowling Green. In addition to her national accolades, Case was named the MAC Player and Setter of the Year, becoming just the second player in league history to earn both honors in the same season. Simkins claimed the MAC Defensive Player of the Year, and Maggie King joined Case and Simkins on the All-MAC First Team. Western Michigan had a total of six All-Conference selections and set a MAC volleyball record with 11 student-athletes named to the Academic-All MAC Team.
The 2022 campaign saw the Broncos compile a 17-13 overall mark and a 9-9 record in conference play. On November 5, Munson collected her 400th win as a collegiate head coach, as Western Michigan topped Eastern Michigan, 3-0. During the season, Maggie King became the 25th member of Western Michigan's 1,000-kill club. Following the season, both King and Logan Case were First Team All-MAC selections for the third consecutive season, with Case also being named a College Sports Communicators First Team Academic All-American after finishing fourth in the nation in assists/set (11.66) and ninth in total assists (1,341). As a team, the Broncos led the MAC in assists/set (13.05, 14th in NCAA DI) and kills/set (13.95, 20th DI). WMU set a then program record with eight student-athletes earning Academic All-MAC honors.
In the fall of 2021, Western Michigan turned in a 19-12 record and finished second in the MAC West. The MAC Tournament Quarterfinal victory against Toledo was the 332nd for Munson at WMU, giving her the most wins in program history. Logan Case was a five-time MAC West Setter of the Week, and took home the MAC Setter of the Year award for the second consecutive season. Case finished fourth nationally in total assists (1,317) and assists/set (11.76) and was selected to the AVCA All-Midwest Region Team, while she and Maggie King were both named to the All-MAC First Team for the second straight year. For the second consecutive season, five Broncos were recognized on the Academic All-MAC Team.
The 2020-21 season provided a challenge unlike any other as the COVID-19 pandemic moved the 2020 season to the spring of 2021. The Broncos responded by going 18-5 and capturing the MAC West Division title. Rachel Bontrager was named MAC Player of the Year, while Logan Case collected Setter of the Year, Freshman of the Year and AVCA All-Region Honorable Mention honors. Bontrager won MAC Offensive Player of the Week six times, while Kaley Smith was named Defensive Player of the Week four times and Case earned Setter of the Week on six occasions. Bontrager, Case and Maggie King were First Team All-MAC selections. Five Broncos were named Academic All-MAC.
Bontrager capped one of the best careers in program history by earning AVCA Midwest All-Region and Honorable Mention All-America Honors, while also earning All-America accolades from VolleyballMag.com. She also earned the MAC Medal of Excellence and CoSIDA Academic All-District honors. She led the MAC in kills, kills per set and points per set, and became the first Bronco since 2005 to reach 30 kills in a match.
In 2019, the duo of Bontrager and Kathleen Reilly paved the way for the run in 2020. Reilly was named Co-Defensive Player of the Year in the MAC, while Bontrager was again a First Team All-MAC pick. Reilly was also an Honorable Mention All-Region selection.
The 2018 season saw the emergence of Bontrager as a star within the Mid-American Conference. She earned First Team All-MAC honors after ranking third in the MAC with 435 kills and finishing among the top-30 nationally in kills, points (497.5) and attacks (1,309).
In 2016, two more of Munson's players reached the 1,000-kill mark. Alysia Baznik reached the mark early on in the season, while Sydney LeMay broke the 1,000 barrier later on against Central Michigan. LeMay went on to, once again, earn All-MAC First Team honors. Libero Kathleen Reilly was named to the MAC All-Freshman Team. Academic success under Munson continued with seven Academic All-MAC selections.
In 2015, Munson led a very young team to a second-place finish in the MAC West and 10-6 conference record. Although the Broncos bowed out in the MAC Quarterfinals, youngsters Bailey Schnell and Sydney LeMay helped the team grow. Schnell was named to the All-Freshman Team, while LeMay was named to the All-MAC First Team for the second straight season.
In 2014, WMU shocked the field at the MAC Tournament by becoming the first team to win the bracket with four victories in as many nights, entering the tournament as the fifth seed and upsetting three higher seeds en route to a championship. After sweeping Buffalo in the first round, the Broncos got a measure of revenge against their MAC West rival, downing fourth-seeded Ball State in the second round after losing to them twice in the regular season. The Broncos produced the most shocking result of the tournament in the semifinal round, beating host Ohio – who entered the tournament as the top seed with a perfect 16-0 mark in MAC play – by coming back from a 2-0 deficit to win the match, 3-2. The Broncos turned the trick one more time in the championship match, coming back from an 0-2 hole to beat third-seeded Miami, 3-2, for the title. All-MAC First Team selections Lexie Pawlik and Sydney LeMay both made the All-Tournament Team, with Pawlik – who led NCAA Division I in total assists – claiming MAC Tournament MVP honors.
The Broncos’ success on the court has been matched by their success in the classroom. Western Michigan has earned the American Volleyball Coaches Association Team Academic Award for having a team grade-point average of 3.30 or higher 11 times under Munson's tutelage, and earned the distinction of AVCA Team Academic Honor Roll (top 20% of GPAs in NCAA DI) for the 2023-24 and 2024-25 academic years. Munson’s teams have also been recognized by the NCAA for ranking in the top-10 percent of all volleyball programs in Academic Progress Rate (APR) in 2007 and 2008. Katie Eberling and Allyson Doyle combined for five CoSIDA Academic All-District awards from 2007-10, and Doyle became the first CoSIDA Academic All-American for the program since Julie Young in 1991. Logan Case was named a College Sports Communicators (formerly CoSIDA) Academic All-American for three straight years (2022-24) and was named the Academic All-America Team Member of the Year for DI Women's Volleyball in 2023. Finally, since Munson took the head coaching reins in 2005, the Broncos have placed 86 student-athletes on the Academic All-MAC Team after having just one such player since 1998.
Volleyball may be the sport of choice for those entering the WMU program, but one of Munson’s former players gained national exposure in a different one after her departure. Thanks to the strength and conditioning she received while a member of the Broncos, Katie Eberling became a target for the USA National Bobsled Team, joining the squad as a brakeman. Eberling helped Team USA to a bronze medal in the 2012 World Championships, and again to a silver medal in the 2013 Championships. The 2014 Olympic hopeful was honored by her hometown baseball team early in 2013, when she was given the opportunity to throw out the first pitch of a game between the Chicago Cubs and the San Francisco Giants on April 11, 2013.
The Broncos recorded their ninth straight winning season under Munson and 11th overall in 2013, going 17-14 despite having to replace a number of key players from the previous season’s MAC West championship team. Redshirt freshman Ave Stout showed that the time the coaching staff spent developing her in 2012 was more than worthwhile, capturing MAC Freshman of the Year honors as well as an All-MAC First Team nod; she became the third straight Bronco to be named the conference’s top newcomer. Likewise, junior transfer Lexie Pawlik stepped right in and earned accolades from the conference, being named to the All-MAC First Team in her first season with the Broncos. Lena Oliver wrapped a terrific four-year career at Western Michigan by earning All-MAC Second Team honors and becoming just the second player in the history of the MAC to reach 2,500 digs and finishing her career 11th in NCAA history in the category.
WMU captured its fourth MAC West division title under Munson in 2012, compiling a 13-3 record that rated as the second-best conference record in the MAC. The Broncos dominated the year-end awards in the conference, placing three players (Jessica Brown, Lena Oliver, and Terin Norris) on the All-MAC First Team. Oliver finally broke through as the MAC Defensive Player of the Year after leading the conference in each of the previous two seasons, while Norris was named MAC Setter of the Year in a season in which she led the conference in assists and the Broncos led in team kills. Freshman Stephenee Yancy earned MAC Freshman of the Year honors, marking the second straight season that a Bronco took home the award, by locking down a starting spot at middle blocker and leading the team in rejections. Brown wrapped her career as the second-leading kills producer in program history, and became just the second player in the history of the Bronco program to notch better than 1,500 kills.
The Broncos reached their second NCAA Tournament under Munson in 2011, compiling a 24-9 record and receiving an at-large bid to the tournament. The Broncos finished fourth in NCAA Division I in assists and ninth in kills, buoyed by their setter and MAC Freshman of the Year Terin Norris. Norris was one of three Broncos to receive All-MAC First Team honors, joining middle blocker Jessica Brown and libero Lena Oliver, who ranked 14th in the nation in assists, one of the top marks for a freshman. Oliver earned her second straight COBRA Magazine National Defensive Player of the Year award, tying the single-season program record for digs (700) and ranking second in digs per set (5.71).
In 2010, the Broncos finished with a 22-10 overall record and were 12-4 in the MAC, finishing second in the West Division before falling in the MAC Tournament to Miami. Setter Sam Viox continued the tradition of quality setters, winning MAC Setter of the Year honors; it was the third consecutive season that a Bronco earned the award. Viox picked up All-MAC First Team honors, as did junior middle blocker Jessica Brown. Brown notched 379 kills for an average of 3.30 kills per set, a figure that ranked seventh in the MAC. Brown also ranked eighth in the conference in hitting percentage, putting balls away at a .311 clip; she was one of just two players in the MAC to rank in the top-10 in both kills per set and hitting percentage in 2010.
Allyson Doyle concluded her career on a strong note by earning All-MAC Second Team honors. Freshman libero Lena Oliver was named COBRA Magazine Defensive Player of the Year after finishing eighth in the nation and second in the MAC in digs with an average of 5.61 digs per set in 2010. That average ranked second for a single season in the WMU record book, while her total of 645 digs were fourth for a single season.
The 2009 edition of the Broncos finished 24-11 and dominated the MAC West with a 13-3 mark on the way to reaching the finals of the MAC Tournament for the second consecutive season. Senior setter Jillian Mitchell was named MAC Setter of the Year for the second season in a row, while Jessica Brown became the fourth MAC Freshman of the Year in school history and the first since 1993. The Broncos finished the season ranked 54th in the country in the final rankings released by the NCAA. The Broncos continued to display outstanding defense as they finished the season 43rd of 329 teams in digs per set (16.65).
Munson first took the Broncos to the NCAA Tournament in 2008, when she led Western Michigan to the best season in more than 20 years and a Mid-American Conference record 10th NCAA Tournament, and a berth in the Sweet 16 for the first time since 1987. The 2008 Broncos defeated host Dayton, 3-1, in the opening round and No. 16 Tulane, 3-2, in the second round to earn two NCAA Tournament victories for only the second time in school history and the first time since 1983. With all of that success, WMU ended the year No. 25 in the country in the final NCAA Ratings Percentage Index and No. 26 in the final Bison/American Volleyball Coaches Association Top-25. Overall, the Broncos finished the year 28-7, the most wins since 1987, and won their eighth Mid-American Conference championship with a 14-2 mark.
Jillian Mitchell became the first MAC Setter of the Year in WMU history in 2008, while also earning All-MAC First Team and AVCA All-Mideast Region Honorable Mention honors. Junior Caitlin Strimel was named MAC Defensive Player of the Year for the second season in a row, the first time that had happened in MAC history, in addition to being named All-MAC First Team with junior outside hitter Michelle Moore, only the 10th two-time First Team selection in school history. Sophomore middle blocker Jaime Gotham was named All-MAC Second Team as the Broncos won three tournaments (Aquafina Invitational, Redbird Classic and Golden Dome Invitational) during the regular season.
In 2007, the Broncos won their first Mid-American Conference West Division title since 2000 with a 12-4 conference mark and a 21-12 record overall. WMU was led by Caitlin Strimel, the first MAC Defensive Player of the Year in school history, All-MAC First Team outside hitter Michelle Moore, All-MAC Second Team middle blocker Ashley Vogl and MAC All-Freshman Team outside hitter Allyson Doyle.
In 2006, Munson led the Broncos to a 21-15 campaign and a berth in the MAC Tournament semifinals. WMU featured five All-Conference performers, led by All-MAC First Team senior setter Jenifer Sulewski. Sulewski led the MAC with a WMU record 1,760 assists and the first two triple-doubles in school history.
Senior outside hitter Kathryn Babcock and middle blocker Ashley Vogl were both named All-MAC Second Team. Babcock was among the MAC leaders in kills and points and finished the year with 1,014 career kills to become only the 15th player in school history to achieve that feat. Vogl blossomed in her second season under Munson to become the second-most efficient hitter in the MAC (.313 attack percentage).
The Broncos also featured a talented freshman class that earned Prepvolleyball.com Highest Honorable Mention honors for its depth and quality. Three of those players made an immediate impact and two, Katie Eberling and Caitlin Strimel, were named to the MAC All-Freshman Team. Eberling delivered 460 kills in her rookie campaign, the seventh-best, single-season total in school history, while Strimel finished with a school-record 700 digs.
In her first season as head coach, Munson led the Broncos to their best finish since 2000 (20-9, 11-5 MAC) and a bye into the quarterfinals of the MAC Tournament. The Broncos started the season strong by winning the Indiana University TIS Invitational and the WMU Fall Kickoff Tournament and ended strong as Marquette Tournament champions. The team was also successful in the classroom and was awarded the AVCA Academic Award.
Munson helped Shaylen Jackson and Jenifer Sulewski earn All-MAC accolades and Jackson received Honorable Mention All-Mideast Region honors from the AVCA.
Prior to coming back to WMU, Munson spent five seasons as head coach at East Carolina (2000-04). During her first season, she became only the third coach in program history to post a first-year winning record in leading the Pirates to their first winning campaign since 1995. The team went 17-13 behind the play of two All-Conference performers and finished third in the Colonial Athletic Association and ranked sixth regionally, the first regional ranking in school history.
ECU made the move up in competition to Conference USA in 2001 and Munson guided the team to the Conference USA Tournament in her first season in the league. In 2003, Jaime Bevan made the C-USA All-Freshman Team to become the first Pirate volleyball player to earn All-Conference honors since ECU joined the league.
A native of Glen Ellyn, Ill., Munson spent three years (1997-99) as an assistant at Western Michigan for head coach Cathy George. During her first stint in Kalamazoo, the Broncos had a .619 winning percentage (57-35), including a 25-7 season in 1999 that saw the team go 15-3 in the MAC and advance to the MAC Tournament title match for the first time in a decade. With several players that Munson helped recruit, WMU went on to go 26-5 and advance to the NCAA Tournament in 2000.
With Munson’s help, four players earned All-Conference honors (Traci Morin, Mandy Whitfield, Stefanie Rotunno, Jen Nowak) and two players were alternates and training squad members for the United States entry in the Pan Am games in 1999.
Munson was also a successful coach at the club level for the West Michigan Volleyball Association’s 17 and 18-year old teams. Her nationally-recognized “Dead Frogs” competed at the highest levels possible and continually earned regional and national acclaim. In both 1998 and 1999, the Dead Frogs finished fifth in the country at the national tournament and featured three total All-America honorees during that span.
Munson started her collegiate career at North Dakota State before transferring to Texas-Arlington for the 1990 season. She helped lead the Mavericks to the NCAA Tournament in 1990 and Southland Conference championships in 1990 and 1992. As a three-year starter, Munson ended her career fifth all-time at UTA with 4,089 assists.
She earned a bachelor’s degree in marketing from Texas-Arlington in 1993 and a master’s in physical education with a concentration in athletics administration from Western Michigan in 2001.
Prior to moving on to the college ranks, Munson was a player on the 1986 and 1987 Sports Performance back-to-back national championship club teams.
Munson and her husband, Matt, are the parents of a son, Jacob, and daughter, Bryn. They reside in Portage.
