Volleyball Coaching Staff
- Mary Whitehead: Head Coach
- Mallory Lawson: Graduate Assistant Coach / Junior Varsity Coach
- Amanda Robertson: Student Assistant Coach
Mary Whitehead
Head Coach
(417) 865-2815 ext. 7192
Email Coach Whitehead - School Bio
Mary Whitehead will enter her 12th season as head coach with the Evangel University women’s volleyball program in 2011. Whitehead led the Crusaders to their first Heart of America conference regular season championship in 2010 compiling a perfect 10-0 league mark with a 27-6 record overall the program’s first ever national ranking in the NAIA.
In addition their 2010 regular season championship, Whitehead guided the Crusaders to their first HAAC tournament championship in 2009 and the program’s first NAIA National Tournament appearance during the same season. She was also named the 2009 Heart of America conference Coach of the Year in women’s volleyball.
Whitehead’s 246 career coaching wins is the most by an Evangel head volleyball coach. She passed Sandra Sorbo with her 219th career victory late her in 10th season. Whitehead has a career record of 246-150 (.621) and also owns the best winning percentage in 43 year history program. Whitehead also has a 64-46 (.581) record all-time within the HAAC.
While compiling milestones and leading the program to new heights, Whitehead has orchestrated an impressive turn-around and is establishing Evangel volleyball as a conference power. Prior to her arrival, the most consecutive winning seasons for the team was three (1980-82). Evangel will enter 2011 with eight straight winning seasons. The Crusaders have gone 191-97 in the last eight years including a 43-17 record in the conference during the last six years.
Whitehead shared the head coaching duties with Dawn Neal in 2000 before taking over the program in 2001. Whitehead has served Evangel University as the director of the Mabee Student Fitness Center and has taught in the Evangel Kinesiology department. She was the assistant softball coach for two years (1999-2000) at Evangel.
A 1997 graduate of MidAmerica Nazarene University, Whitehead was a two-sport athlete earning three letters in softball and volleyball. She was an all-HAAC selection twice in softball, a NCCAA All-American in softball in 1997 and named the team MVP three times during her career. In addition, she was a NAIA All-American Scholar-Athlete in 1996 and 1997 for softball and volleyball.
As a prep athlete, Whitehead won three volleyball and three softball letters at Burlington (Iowa) High School. She lettered two years in basketball and was a four-year track letter winner. Whitehead earned all-district and all-conference honors as a volleyball and softball player at Burlington and was an all-conference basketball performer. She graduated from Burlington in 1992.
Formerly Mary Penrod, Whitehead was married to husband Jake in the summer of 2008. They reside in Fair Grove with their one year old son Tyler.
Mallory Lawson
Graduate Assistant Coach / Junior Varsity Coach
Mallory Lawson will enter her second year with Evangel volleyball serving as assistant coach and the head coach of the junior varsity program. Lawson coached club volleyball for Club Bear for four seasons in addition to coaching at Glendale High School and Millard South High School. Originally from Norfolk, Nebraska, Lawson was a two-time all-state volleyball performer in high school and set school single season and career records for aces and hitting percentage and a single season mark in kills. She played collegiate volleyball at Creighton from 2004-06 and was their Defensive Player of the Year in 2006. She finished her degree in Dietetics at Missouri State University. Her husband Matt is a former Missouri State baseball player who now plays professionally in the Cleveland Indians organization.
Amanda Robertson
Student Assistant Coach
Amanda Robertson will be in her first season as a student assistant coach with Evangel in 2011. Robertson completed her playing career with Evangel last year earning her third varsity letter. She began her collegiate career at Missouri State-West Plains CC in 2007 and transferred to Evangel for the 2008 season. Robertson was a first team all-conference performer in the HAAC in her junior year in 2009 and her senior season in 2010. Evangel posted an impressive 78-31 record during her three years with the Crusaders including a 22-8 mark in the conference. Robertson played at Willard High School and was an All-State and All-Central Ozark Conference player during her senior year. She is majoring in Physical Education.