Volleyball
- Title:
- Head Coach
- Email:
- utnagec@xavier.edu
- Phone:
- 513.745.3137
Pfeffenberger coached the Xavier volleyball program to another record season in 2023 where the Musketeers collected a 18-12 record, a fourth place BIG EAST regular season finish and a second consecutive appearance in the BIG EAST Tournament. During the 2023 season, for the first time in program history, Xavier volleyball defeated Creighton, after 24 previous attempts that spanned 45 seasons. Ranked #11 in the country at the point of play, the victory over the Bluejays was the highest ranked win in program history and the first ranked win since 2007. Â
In 2022, Pfeffenberger and staff were recipients of the BIG EAST Coaching Staff of the Year award. Pfeffenberger reached her 100th career win against Butler on October 2, 2022 and led the team to a 21-12 record, a third place BIG EAST regular season finish, a third place BIG EAST Tournament finish, and a trip to the NIVC Quarterfinals.
In ten seasons as head coach, Pfeffenberger has coached 12 players to All-BIG EAST honors - including 2015 BIG EAST Player of the Year, Abbey Bessler, 2021 BIG EAST Freshman of the Year, Delaney Hogan and 2024 BIG EAST Freshman of the Year, Margo Kemp.
Bessler was the first volleyball player of the year for the Musketeers since joining the conference in 2013. She earned AVCA All-East Region First Team honors in 2015, while also collecting AVCA All-American honors for the second time in her career.Â
In 2021, Carrigan O'Reilly earned AVCA All-East Region Team accolades in addition to her all-conference honors.
Pfeffenberger has compiled a 90-78 BIG EAST record in ten seasons with two second-place finishes in the regular-season standings. She has led the Musketeers to the four-team BIG EAST Tournament on two occasions and the six-team tournament in 2022 and 2023.
In the classroom, the Musketeers earned the AVCA Team Academic Award for the sixth consecutive season for posting above a 3.30 team grade point average.
The Indianapolis, Ind., native was hired as Xavier's associate head coach in March of 2014 following a three-year stint as an assistant coach at Notre Dame. With the Fighting Irish, she helped mentor two AVCA All-Americans and three all-conference players, while recruiting the nation's No. 16 ranked recruiting class in 2014. She was previously on the Xavier staff from 2008-10.
All told, Pfeffenberger has 20 years of Division I coaching experience as either an assistant coach, associate head coach or head coach. She also had coaching stints at Dayton (2005) and Youngstown State (2006-07).
In seven of her 10 years as an assistant/associate head coach, she helped her teams capture winning seasons - including trips to the NCAA Tournament in both 2005 and 2012. Pfeffenberger also helped teams win 20 or more matches in a season on five occasions.
Pfeffenberger played collegiately at Dayton from 2000-04, where she participated in two NCAA Tournaments and was named the Atlantic 10 Player of the Year in 2004. She was also tabbed an AVCA All-American in 2004 and was named to the CoSIDA Academic All-American Third Team.
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 THE PFEFFENBERGER FILE |
| School | Position/Title | Years |
| Xavier | Head Coach | 2015-pres. |
| Xavier | Associate Head Coach | 2014 |
| Notre Dame | Assistant Coach | 2011-14 |
| Xavier | Associate Head Coach | 2010 |
| Xavier | Assistant Coach | 2008-10 |
| Youngstown State | Assistant Coach | 2006-08 |
| Dayton | Assistant Coach | 2005 |
|
|
 HEAD COACHING RECORDS |
| Year | Overall | BIG EAST |
| 2024 | 10-18 | 8-10/7th |
| 2023 | 18-12 | 11-7/4th |
| 2022 | 21-12 | 11-7/3rd |
| 2021 (f) | 11-18 | 6-12/t-7 |
| 2021 (s) | 7-7 | 3-3/3rd (Midwest) |
| 2019 | 11-17 | 8-10/6th |
| 2018 | 10-19 | 8-10/6th |
| 2017 | 13-19 | 8-10/6th |
| 2016 | 20-13 | 13-5/t-2nd |
| 2015 | 18-12 | 14-4/t-2nd |
| Totals | 139-147 (.486) | 90-78 (.536) |
|
|
 PERSONAL INFORMATION |
Hometown: Indianapolis, Ind.
Playing Experience: Dayton, 2000-04
Education: Bachelor's degree in education from Dayton, '04 | Master's degree is sports administration from Xavier, `12
Family: Husband: Nick | Daughters: Caroline and Lexi | Son: Casey
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