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Gwendolyn Rouse will have an additional role in 2021 when she enters his 34th season of coaching volleyball at Benedict College.
The Tigers as part of announcing Wednesday that they will start a men’s volleyball team named Rouse as the program’s inaugural head coach.
Rouse as a Benedict graduate was hired as the school’s women’s volleyball coach in 1987 and has compiled more than 400 combined wins at the NAIA and NCAA Division II levels. In addition, Rouse guided the Tigers to 11 consecutive conference regular season championships while competing in the NAIA.
Along with her coaching experience, Rouse has officiated boys’ volleyball and girls’ volleyball matches. She also has spent time coaching boys’ volleyball players.
“It will really be an easy transition [coaching the men’s program]” Rouse said in a statement. “For the last five years I’ve been working with boys as well. I appreciate the opportunity and look for great things to come from the men’s volleyball program.”
Rouse will continue her role as the women’s volleyball team head coach while coaching the Benedict men’s volleyball team.
Benedict is one of six Historical Black Colleges and Universities from the SIAC that announced this week it will start a men’s volleyball program for the 2021 season.
The Tigers as part of a $1 million grant to the SIAC from USA Volleyball and First Point Volleyball Foundation will receive $150,000 to start the new program.