Chambana Sun

Illinois volleyball has appointed Meredith Schamun as the new Associate Head Coach, according to an announcement by head coach Chris Tamas. Schamun's experience and expertise are expected to benefit the team significantly.

"We interviewed several great candidates and as the process went on, it was clear that Meredith's experience as an assistant and head coach will help Illinois volleyball tremendously as we transition into the new era of college athletics," Tamas stated. "She has a vast recruiting background as well as a deep knowledge of X's and O's of our game. Her passion and drive for coaching and developing players will add our continued success here at Illinois."

Schamun expressed her enthusiasm about joining the program: "I want to thank Head Coach Chris Tamas and Senior Associate Director Breanna Shamaila for this incredible opportunity," she said. "I'm honored to step into a program with a tradition of competitive success and a family atmosphere. From my first conversation with Coach Tamas, I knew Illinois volleyball aligned perfectly with my goals and passion for the game. I can't wait to hit the ground running with Chris, Jen, Eli, and the rest of the Illini FamILLy!"

Before joining Illinois, Schamun spent four years at Penn where she led the Quakers to a 13-10 record in 2024, marking their first wins over Princeton since 2015 and Brown since 2019. Her previous roles include assistant coaching positions at Villanova and Tulane, where she contributed significantly to both programs' successes.

Schamun also served as director of volleyball operations at UCF from 2014-15. She played collegiate volleyball at Rice University where she earned numerous accolades including Conference USA Setter of the Year in 2009.

In addition to her bachelor's degree from Rice in kinesiology and policy studies for healthcare administration, Schamun holds a master's degree from UCF in sport and exercise science.