|
Margot Royer, who was named the fifth head volleyball coach in Providence College history in August of 2000, enters her 10th season with the Friars. In her first season leading the Friars, Royer led the squad to a 9-1 start and an overall record of 16-15 while competing in the BIG EAST. The 2001 campaign proved to be a test of the team's mettle as the Friars played a tough non-conference schedule, combined with the always strong BIG EAST Conference schedule. PC finished with a 6-20 overall record as Friars' outside hitter Sarah Katinger earned All-BIG EAST Conference honors. In 2002, Providence ran into similar obstacles as the team finished with a 2-29 mark. Providence College volleyball became an independent program in 2003, but continued to play a national slate of challenging opponents. In 2005, the Friars posted a 7-28 record with a squad considered to be among the youngest in America. Consisting of eight freshmen, two sophomores and two seniors, the Friars posted their highest win total since 2000. Royer led the 2006 squad, comprised of two juniors, seven sophomores, and three freshmen, to a 14 win season. The 2007 season saw the Friars win 19 games, which was the highest total since 1997 when the squad recorded 21 wins. In 2008, the team posted a 15-20 record and was competitive in a number of tournaments throughout the season. In summer 2008, Royer was selected to coach a group of collegiate athletes in a tournament held in Australia. Royer's team competed against the Queensland Academy of Sport National Junior and National Senior teams. Royer has been selected to coach for USA Athletes International again in the summer of 2009 during a tour of Scotland. Royer came to Providence after spending three years as the assistant coach and kinesiology lecturer at Angelo State University in San Angelo, Texas. In addition to her coaching duties at Angelo State, Royer was the director of ASU's volleyball camp and coached the Planet Volleyball Junior Olympic club team for 18 and under players. From October 1996 to May 1997, Royer worked for NASA at the Goddard Space Flight Center where she oversaw the fitness lab. While working for NASA, she served as a graduate assistant at the University of Maryland in the kinesiology department. While a grad assistant at Maryland, Royer earned her master's degree in kinesiology, with a concentration in sports psychology, in May of 1997. A 1995 graduate of the University of Scranton with a double-major in human services and philosophy, Royer was a four-year letterwinner on the volleyball team. She was captain as a junior and senior and was named the league MVP in her senior season. She was also the recipient of the O'Hara Award as a senior, which is presented annually to the outstanding female athlete of the Scranton senior class. In January 2009, Royer was inducted into the University of Scranton's Wall of Fame and was the first volleyball player in school history to receive the honor. The Wall of Fame was founded in 1970 to honor former student-athletes, coaches, administrators, and those in the community who have been instrumental in the overall development of The University of Scranton's athletics program. Royer resides in North Providence, R.I. She is engaged to Jeff Johnson and the couple will be married in December of 2009. |
|
|||||||||||||||
