Lantagne Welch Accepts HC Job at UCSB
CORAL GABLES, Fla. — After 12 years leading Miami’svolleyball program, Nicole Lantagne Welch has accepted the head coachingposition at UC Santa Barbara. Lantagne Welch was announced as the Gauchos’ new headcoach during a Tuesday afternoon press conference.
Atwo-time ACC & AVCA East Region Coach of the Year, Lantagne Welch hadbeen the head coach of the University of Miami volleyball program since itre-started for the 2001 season.
Themost successful coach in school history, Lantagne Welch led Miami to a 243-120record (.669), posting winning seasons in 10 of the 12 years while reaching 20wins on six occasions. Lantagne Welch has led the Hurricanes to the NCAAtournament five times, including in each of the past four years.
Settinga program record with 17 league wins, the Canes came within one victory of anoutright ACC title to finish in sole possession of second place. The team tieda league record with six players earning All-ACC honors (all for the firsttime), with five being named AVCA All-Region to tie Penn State and Iowa Statefor the most All-Region honorees nationally.
Her2012 team also set a new program mark with 2.90 blocks per set, including aschool record 23 total blocks in a road win at Clemson. The Hurricanes startedoff the conference season with arguably the most impressive win in programhistory, knocking off rival No. 6 Florida State in front of a record crowd atthe Knight Sports Complex and a national television audience on ESPNU. Miamiwon all 13 matches at home and took 10-straight matches in the middle of theseason to appear in the national poll in five different weeks. She won her 100th careerACC match Oct. 12, 2012, at her alma mater.
LantagneWelch began her coaching career in 1994 as an assistant coach on the Marylandstaff before becoming a graduate assistant coach at Ohio University in 1995. AtOhio, she developed training sessions for setters and assisted in the scoutingof opponents and in the development of game plans. Lantagne Welch arrived atMiami after serving as an assistant coach at Texas A&M. During her threeseasons there, the Aggies finished ranked in the top 20 and qualified for theNCAA Tournament each season (1997-99). In 1999, Texas A&M advanced to theelite eight of the NCAA Tournament, compiling a 28-6 record and a No. 9 finalranking. Under Lantagne Welch’s training, Aggie setter Jenna Moscovic was namedthe 1999 Big 12 Conference Freshman of the Year and named to the All-AmericanFreshman Team by Volleyball Magazine. As a sophomore, Moscovic was selected tothe 2000 All-Big 12 Team and All-District 5 Team. Lantagne Welch also played amajor role in bringing the Aggies back-to-back Top 10 recruiting classes. The1999 class was ranked in the Top 10 by Student Sports Magazine and the 1998class was ranked sixth by Volleyball Magazine.
Anational search is underway for Lantange Welch’s replacement.
