FAIRFAX, Va. – George Mason women's volleyball head coach Jackie Simpson-Kirr has resigned from her position after two seasons at the job announced Assistant VP, Director of Athletics
Brad Edwards.
"We appreciate Jackie's hard work and contributions to the women's volleyball program in her short time with the Patriots," said Edwards. "We are grateful for the support she provided and the impact she had on the student-athletes."
Under Simpson-Kirr, the Patriots went 17-39 (.304) but made great strides. The former Wisconsin standout began her head coaching career with a 10-19 record in 2015, Mason's first double-digit win season since 2010.
The start to her stint at Mason was marked with success with Mason as the 4-2 start of the 2015 campaign ranked as the program's best since 2009, when the Patriots claimed the Colonial Athletic Association title. Simpson-Kirr went on to lead the team to four Atlantic 10 Conference wins in her debut season, which still stands as the best in program's young A-10 history.
More history was made in early October last season, when the young Mason team registered program-best 123 digs, which still ranked among the top five performances by a Div. I program at the end of the season. A few weeks later the Patriots went on a three-match win streak – its best since 2011 – after taking down Duquesne, La Salle, and Fordham in Atlantic 10 play, all in five sets.
In addition to achieving team success unseen in recent years, Simpson-Kirr built the team's core for years to come with some of her recruits – outside hitters
Mikala Wells and
Bailey Williams – quickly establishing themselves in the team during their freshman season. The coach also managed to rejuvenate sophomore
Catie Espinoza's career by switching her to the libero position and making her a stalwart in Mason's defense. Espinoza's 46-dig in the historic match against the Wildcats was the third-best individual display in Div. I over the course of the entire 2016 season.
A national search has begun to find the next head coach for the women's volleyball program.
