Women's volleyball head coach, Danielle Jensen, serves as Assistant Athletic Director - External Operations for Utah State Eastern. Her commitment to volunteer work and community involvement will allow her to reach the vision of the Athletic Director and department as whole.
In her ninth year as head vollyeyball coach (165-80), below are her remarkable accomplishments:
2023 - Coach Jensen once again led her to team to a NJCAA D1 national poll ranking where she finished the season 11th in the nation and a 22-10 overall record after defeating several nationally ranked opponents. The team reached the Region 18 tournament and lost a heartbreaking 2-3 match which would ultimately keep them out of the national tournament, even after finishing 11th best in the country. For her 5th straight year she produced an All-American in MB Casidy Fried. Her program represented the All Region team: Casidy Fried MB 1st Team, Paige Shumway L 1st Team, Rachel West MB 2nd Team, Lauren Hamilton RS 3rd Team. Fried also received Region 18 All-Tournament Team honors.
2022 - Coach Jensen led the Lady Eagles to their second only national tournament appearance held in West Plains, Missouri In November. Both of which appearances have taken place under her leadership. The Lady Eagles took 10th place overall and ended the season 26-9 which included a remarkable 17 game win streak including against multiple nationally ranked opponents. USU Eastern ended the season ranked No. 8 in the NJCAA DI National Rankings. For the fourth straight year, Jensen has produced an All-American in outside hitter Haley McUne. Region 18 All Conference Teams included: OH Haley McUne 1st Team, OH Kennedi Knudsen 1st Team, MB Casidy Fried 2nd Team, and L Paige Shumway 2nd Team. Both active sophomores for the Lady Eagles moved on to the next level including Sophia Anderson who signed with NCAA DI Idaho State University and Emma Christensen who signed with NCAA DII Newberry College. With many sophomores returning, including two All-American recipients, Jensen in poised to once again lead the program to new levels.
Fall 2021 - SWAC Champions for the first time in school history with a 8-2 conference record and 20-8 record overall. The Lady Eagles remained in the Top 10 nationally finishing No.8 in the NJCAA poll. Jensen led her team to the SWAC championship game for the third year in a row. Major upsets in in the top conferences in the national held Utah State Eastern out of the national tournament with plenty of team accomplishments to note. Libero Emma Ricks earned SWAC Defensive Player of the Year for the second year in a row and earned a spot on All-Region 1st Team. Ricks also earned All-American status before transferring to Dixie State University to play D1 volleyball. Middle blocker Lindsey Otero was a top leader in blocks and blocks assists and earned All-Region honors before transferring to Dallas Baptist University to continue her volleyball career. Outside hitter Kamryn Wiese continued her career to the University of Hawaii - Hilo after two successful years as a starter and multi-year, all-region recipient for the Lady Eagles.
Spring 2021 - SWAC Coach Of The Year Recipient - AVCA Western Region Coach Of The Year Recipient - Another record breaking season as Coach Jensen led USU Eastern to the NJCAA National Tournament for the first time in school history. The lady Eagles entered the tournament as the 4th seed and ended with a 7th place overall finish after losing to eventual national champion, Iowa Western. The Lady Eagles climbed the national rankings with a program best 2nd place standing at one point during the regular season finishing 4th place in the NJCAA poll. Middle blocker Rachel West earned a spot on the All-Tournament team as well as the coveted All-American honors. Standout Libero Emma Ricks earned SWAC Defensive Player of the Year leading the nation in digs throughout the entire year. Four additional teammates were placed on all-region teams of the Lady Eagle program.
2019 – Record breaking season again for the Lady Eagles under Jensen’s leadership; winning 27 games with only 9 losses on the season. The Lady Eagles defeated multiple nationally ranked opponents and ended the season ranked 12th in the country and 2nd in Scenic West, Region 18 standings. For the first time in school history the Lady Eagles earned their spot in the SWAC Championship coming up short in a 2-3 heartbreaking loss. USU Eastern represented the conference well with 6 athletes named to 1st and 2nd all-conference teams. Outside hitter, Kiara Richardson, became the first Lady Eagle in school history to earn All-American honors. Richardson received national honors during the season and was awarded the coveted NJCAA Player Of The Week for her performance. Setter Ashlee McUne ended the season ranked #1 in the country for assists. Losing only three sophomores in 2019, Jensen looks to continue to build on a successful program in 2020.
2018 - Jensen led the Eagles to a 17-10 overall record and the second seed in the Region XVIII Tournament. Her 2018 team had four wins over nationally-ranked teams including three within the Scenic West conference. Her eight wins in conference play were the most ever by a USU Eastern volleyball coach. The road win over conferenc foe CSI was the first win in Twin Falls for the Eagles in program history. CSI would go on to win the NJCAA National Championship later that season. Coach Jensen had a players earn SWAC Player Of The Week honors five times. She had four players receive all-conference honors at the end of the season; which includes first-team, all-conference outside hitters Mackenzie Carter and Sarah Mafi. Both Carter and Mafi were ranked in the top 25 nationally in scoring throughout the season. Jensen's setter Siara Roberts ranked 11 in the country in assists and second in the country in service aces before transferring to Dixie State University to play D1 ball. Utah State Eastern appeared on the national ranking system for their second season in a row.
2017 – Improved The Program To 18-10 Overall, Best Record In School History
Led The Eagles To National Recognition For The First Time In School History
2016 – Coach Jensen Began The Rebuilding Phase Of The USU Eastern Volleyball Program
Coach Jensen is married, has four children, a Utah State Eastern alumni, and Price, Utah native. Along with her husband and recruiting coordinator, Calvin, Coach Jensen credites her success to the family culture that has been created and the desire to work extremely hard in the toughest conference in the nation.
