New Coaching Staff Leading Women's Volleyball in 2022

This year's women's volleyball team will be led by a new coaching staff as Leigh DeSantis takes over as head coach and Sydney Armbrister joins the program as assistant coach.

DeSantis served as assistant coach since 2020.

"I wanted to become the head coach of the Delaware Tech women's volleyball program because I wanted to continue the positive momentum that was started last year and to watch these student athletes blossom into their fullest potential," DeSantis said.

DeSantis is currently a major in the United States Air Force within the Air Force Reserve Command, currently assigned to the Dover Air Force Base. She is a full-time employee with the Air Force and not a traditional reservist. In her current position, as the mission support group executive officer, DeSantis oversees the administrative actions of seven squadron and group staff totaling approximately 750 people who are a mix of civilians, traditional reservists, and full-time reserve members. 

DeSantis has been involved in volleyball since she was 10 years old and has played at every level from elementary school through college and into adulthood on recreational leagues. She has been coaching volleyball for roughly 14 years, again at all levels. DeSantis has a bachelor's degree in history and a master's degree in leadership with a concentration in joint warfare.

"As a head coach, my student-athletes should expect me to hold them to a high standard," DeSantis said. "I expect them to do well on and off the court. They represent Delaware Tech in many facets of their lives.

"We are a competitive, collegiate team and we must have that mindset on and off the court. Our practices are fast-paced and intentional. There is a reason for everything we do. I'm also a transparent leader – so communication is incredibly important between myself and the coaching staff and the student-athletes. I will always keep them informed and I expect that in return."

Delaware Tech is Armbrister's first collegiate-level coaching position, but she has coached elementary, middle, and high school players at various volleyball camps and specialized clinics.

"Players should expect me to be a very motivating coach," she said. "I have a huge passion for the game of volleyball, and I always want my players to see that and know that I am there to support them every step of the way. They'll see that I am also a very technical coach when it comes to the game. I like to break things down and focus on perfecting the fundamentals. Once you perfect the fundamentals, a player's overall game just gets so much better."

Armbrister had an illustrious playing career prior to becoming a coach. Growing up in Florida, she was selected to play on a national team, played four years of varsity volleyball in college, and received all-county honors as a sophomore, junior, and senior. She then played four years of NJCAA Division I volleyball at Delaware State University, where she was a three-time MEAC Commissioner's All-Academic Team player and an Arthur Ashe Jr. Sports Scholar recipient.

Armbrister has a bachelor's degree in exercise science and a master's degree in sports administration. She is also a certified personal trainer through the National Academy of Sports Medicine.

"I've been in love with the game of volleyball ever since I was young," Armbrister said. "When my final season at DSU ended, it was very bittersweet knowing that something that had been a part of my life for so long was over. I have really missed the game over the past year, and when I saw this opportunity, I knew I had to apply.

"Delaware Tech puts a lot of emphasis on student success which I think is very important, not only in the classroom but on the court. I want to help these athletes develop their volleyball skills and help reinforce the life lessons that come from playing competitive sports and that will help them instill become successful young women on and off the court."

PHOTO:
Delaware Tech's women's volleyball program will be led by head coach Leigh DeSantis (left) and assistant coach Sydney Armbrister (right) in 2022.