Nov. 13, 2007

Upper Iowa University named Shari Robertson as its Head Volleyball Coach today. The Denver, Iowa native will lead a Peacock program into the loaded Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference (NSIC) in 2007-08.

The Northern Sun Conference currently features five teams that finished the season ranked in the top 10 in the region. In addition, next season three of the four new programs coming into the NSIC are also in the top 10. The NSIC is and will continue to be one of the premier volleyball conferences in the nation.

"I am very excited for the opportunity to be the new Head Volleyball Coach here at Upper Iowa University. I want to thank Gil Cloud for giving me this opportunity. Coach Jackson did a good job building the foundation for the volleyball program and I am excited to take it to the next level. The Northern Sun Conference is extremely competitive. I am confident that we can compete at this level," said Robertson.

For the last two years, Robertson has served as the Senior Women's Administrator and Assistant Athletic Director for Recruiting. Robertson has also been instrumental in Upper Iowa's Smart Choices Grant which encompasses both the Balancing Alcohol Choices group and Life Skills program through the NCAA. Robertson also acts as one of two advisors for the Student Athlete Advisory Committee.

"We are pleased to announce the appointment of Shari Robertson as the Head Volleyball Coach. Shari has performed very well in her role as the Assistant Athletic Director for Recruiting and as the Senior Women's Administrator. Due to the nature of coaching, the recruiting portion of her current assignment will be reassigned in the reorganization of the athletics department. Her background as a Division I player and as an assistant coach has prepared her for this role in the department," said Gil Cloud, Upper Iowa Athletic Director.

Before coming to Upper Iowa, Robertson served as the Graduate Assistant for the volleyball program at Loras College for two years. The former Division I standout played at Loyola University of Chicago from 1999-2003 as a middle blocker and earned both all-conference and all-region recognition. Robertson was a part of two teams that earned automatic berths to the NCAA Division I tournament (1999/2000). Robertson was named captain prior to her senior season and was named the 2002-03 Loyola Female Athlete of the Year.

Robertson graduated with a Bachelor of Business Administration in Marketing from Loyola in 2003 and a Master's Degree in Athletic Administration from Loras in 2006. The new Peacock volleyball coach lives in Sumner, Iowa with her husband Wade.