March 5, 2007
Release courtesy of Dave Blanchard, Luther College sports information director

DECORAH, IOWA . . . Luther College Director of Athletics Joe Thompson has announced that Jane Gibbs has accepted the position as head coach of volleyball. Gibbs becomes the third volleyball coach during the 28-year history of the sport at Luther.

Gibbs, a 2004 graduate of the University of St. Thomas, joins the Luther College Athletics Department from the University of Wisconsin-River Falls, where she served as the Falcons top assistant during the 2006 season. Prior to her tenure at River Falls, she was the head assistant volleyball coach at NCAA Division I Gardner-Webb University (NC) from 2004-2006.

Since 2004, she has been the owner, director and president of the Black Bear Volleyball Club Inc., in Shelby, N.C. She was the head coach of the 17 & under and 16 & under teams.

From 2000-03, she was the head coach of the 15 & under team and an assistant coach of the 14 & under team in her hometown, Lakeville, Minn.

While at St. Thomas, Gibbs was a four-year all-conference performer and helped the Tommies post a 97-31 record and win two Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (MIAC) championships (2002, 2003). Twice she was named an American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) All-American (2002, 2003) and was the MIAC Player of the Year as a senior. As the Tommies starting setter, she surpassed 5,300 career assists and led the nation in this category as a sophomore. Gibbs was named to the All-MIAC team four times.

"I am very excited to accept the head volleyball coaching position at Luther College,” commented Gibbs. “After discussing the program with the athletic administration, meeting the team, and seeing the beautiful campus, it was clear that this is a program with an incredible amount of potential and I feel very blessed to be a part of it."

“We are excited that Jane has accepted the position as Head Volleyball Coach,” stated Thompson. “She brings great enthusiasm, expertise, and leadership to the volleyball program.”

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