LIU Volleyball Announces Assistant Coach Additions

4/10/07 -- Long Island University head volleyball coach Toby Rens announced the addition of two members to his coaching staff. Sarah Chlebana will be the Blackbirds’ new assistant coach, while Katrina English has been hired as director of volleyball operations.

Chlebana comes to Brooklyn after a season as an assistant coach for the Belgian semi-professional team Volleybalclub Oudegem. Prior to her stint in Belgium, she served as an assistant at Syracuse for two seasons. Chlebana helped lead the Orange to back-to-back Big East conference tournament appearances for the first time since 1999. She coached three all-conference players and the first All-America selection in Syracuse history. Chlebana also spent a season as an assistant at Belmont, a member of the Atlantic Sun Conference.

“Sarah’s had some outstanding experiences both as a player and coach,” Rens said. “As a player she played for one of the most respected programs in the country and as a coach she’s had three great situations in Belgium, Syracuse, and Belmont. Her experiences will help her make a great contribution to Long Island University and our volleyball program. We have a great group of student-athletes and Sarah has the ability to help take them to another level.”

Chlebana was a four-year starter at Cal State-Sacramento, captaining her team as a senior. Chlebana earned All-Big Sky Conference honors twice and led her team to four regular season conference championships and three conference tournament championships. She also appeared in the NCAA Tournament in each of her seasons at Cal State-Sacramento.

Chlebana graduated with a bachelor’s degree in computer engineering in 2002, with a minor in mathematics.

English played three years at Houston Baptist, earning all-conference honors each year and helping lead the squad to a national runner-up finish in the NAIA Tournament in 2002. A three-year captain, she was named to the NAIA All-Region team in 2004. Prior to playing at Houston Baptist, the outside hitter played one year at Texas Women's University in Denton, Texas.

Following her playing career, English was the coaching coordinator and assistant director of the Sugarland Select Volleyball Club in Sugarland, Texas, for three years. The Sugarland Select squad were the Silver champions in the Lone Star Qualifier 15 Club in 2004 and were the Silver A champions at the Cross Court 17 Open in 2006.

English also served as head coach of the varsity volleyball team at Giddings High School in Giddings, Texas, in 2005 before moving on to Lyndon B. Johnson High School for a season. She earned a bachelor’s degree in English and psychology from Houston Baptist in 2005.

“ Katrina’s great work ethic, experience, knowledge of the game and desire to do well is going to help this volleyball program tremendously,” Rens said. “Katrina will be helping with every aspect of the volleyball program as the director of operations. She has a strong desire to learn and is ready to help us continue the move forward.