Deborah Baker to Lead the Return of Women?s Volleyball at Southern Utah

CEDAR CITY, Utah ? Feb. 8 ? Southern Utah University athletic director Ken Beazer announced today the hiring of Deborah Baker as the head women's volleyball coach for the Thunderbirds. Baker was named to the job after an intensive search and will begin immediately to build a team that will be ready to compete in the fall of 2009.

“I'm excited and honored for this opportunity,” she said of her hiring. “I knew some of the people that were also in the pool and I respect them all a great deal. This is just a great chance to take and build a program from scratch ? it is just an awesome responsibility.”

Baker joins the Thunderbirds after six seasons with New Mexico State University where she served as an assistant coach and the Director of Volleyball Operations. During her time with the Aggies, NMSU compiled a 165-32 (.858) record with 20 all-conference athletes, two conference titles and four NCAA tournament appearances. Baker was a strong recruiter for New Mexico State, signing a top-50 national class in 2003 and the 2005 Western Athletic Conference Freshman of the Year, Amber Simpson. Baker also did her part for her student-athletes to succeed in the classroom with two athletes (Jackie Chio and Jordan Bostic) earning CoSIDA Academic All-American plaudits.

Prior to her stop in Las Cruces, N.M., Baker served as an assistant coach with the University of New Mexico during the 2001 season. She also served as a volunteer assistant coach at Utah State University during the 2000 season and at the College of Southern Idaho during the 1994 and 1995 seasons. During her time at CSI, Baker helped coach the Eagles to an NJCAA National Championship with a 62-3 record in 1994 and an undefeated season in 1995 with a 65-0 mark.

Baker played collegiately for the Aggies of Utah State (1992-1993) following an all-region career at the College of Southern Idaho (1990-1991). While in Logan, Baker earned Big West academic honors, graduating Cum Laude with a Marketing degree in 1994.

Baker is originally from Star Valley, Wyo. and is married to Jon Baker. The couple has three sons: Bryan (22), Tyler (20) and 2 1/2 year-old Logan. She has already set her first recruiting trip for next Friday to begin the rebuilding process to bring Southern Utah University volleyball back into national prominence.

Women's volleyball will be making a comeback after the program was dropped by the university following the 1988-1989 season despite a rich history while competing in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics. During their years in the NAIA, the Thunderbirds accumulated seven consecutive conference titles from 1976-1983, losing only three Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference games in the process. The run also included several postseason appearances, culminating with a fourth-place national finish in 1981.

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