MEDFORD — Ospreys Athletics is proud to announce the hire of Christine Nelson as head coach for the inaugural season of women’s volleyball at Rogue Community College.
Nelson brings more than two decades of experience coaching volleyball and basketball at the high school and collegiate levels. She comes to RCC from Grays Harbor College in Aberdeen, Washington, which also competes in the Northwest Athletic Conference (NWAC).
In her six-year tenure as head volleyball coach at Grays Harbor, Nelson was responsible for resurrecting the program after a seven-year hiatus. RCC Athletic Director Darren Van Lehn said he’s eager to draw on her experience building a volleyball program.
“I am extremely excited to have Christine as our first head coach,” Van Lehn said. “Building a program is a challenging task so to have someone who has experienced that process — as well as already competing in our conference — gives our program the best opportunity for success in year one.”
Van Lehn also praised Nelson’s depth of experience both coaching and recruiting. She has coached for over 21 years at the club, high school and collegiate levels, and has already begun scouting unsigned athletes in the Rogue Valley.
“Christine’s skill at recruiting is something I highly value,” Van Lehn said. “Her ability to find quality athletes from her local area and complete her roster with recruits from places like Alaska, Hawaii and Las Vegas will help Ospreys Athletics move into recruiting zones we previously had never touched.”
The Ospreys women’s volleyball program will begin its regular season Sept. 11. The team’s home court will be at The Court House, 709 N. Phoenix Road in Medford.
RCC launched Ospreys Athletics in 2015. Volleyball becomes the third sport in the department’s repertoire, which includes men’s and women’s soccer. The cross-country program was discontinued in 2018 due to low participation.
Nelson holds a bachelor’s in physical education from Pacific Lutheran University and a master’s in education from Lesley University in Cambridge, Massachusetts. In addition to volleyball, she was head coach of the women’s basketball team at Grays Harbor College and previously served as assistant coach at Concordia University in Portland, where she helped rebuild that program. During that time, the Cavaliers won two Cascade Conference Championships and qualified for the NAIA National Tournament, making the Sweet 16 in the 2008-2009 season.