WARREN, Mich. – Macomb Community College Athletic Director,
Bryan Rizzo, announced on Wednesday (March 25) the hiring of
Erika Knieper as volleyball head coach.
Knieper, a longtime assistant coach and a former player at Macomb, becomes the 11
th head coach in program history and takes over for
Lauren 'Doogie' Rishell who stepped down in February to spend more time with her growing family.
"We could not be more excited to have Erika take over the reins from Doogie and lead our program," said Rizzo. "Having been a former player as well as working on the staff, Erika has a deep understanding of the Macomb experience, and that will be a great benefit for student-athletes in our program. The next phase of Macomb Volleyball could not be in better hands."
An assistant with the program for the past three seasons, Knieper brings a wealth of NJCAA and club coaching experience to the head coaching role. On top of her work with the Monarchs, Knieper has coached at Legacy Volleyball Club since 2023 and is currently a head coach for a pair of high level teams within the organization.
In 2023-24, Knieper was an assistant coach for Legacy's 11-1 Adidas and 12-1 Adidas teams that open qualified for junior nationals.
During her three seasons as assistant at Macomb, Knieper helped the program amass 44 wins and qualify for three consecutive NJCAA Division II Great Lakes District Championship appearances. Last season, Knieper assisted the Monarchs to a 17-13 overall record and a 7-5 mark in MCCAA Eastern Conference play.
A former student-athlete at Macomb, Knieper starred for the Monarchs during the 2021 season where she appeared in all 28 matches and posted a team-best 235 kills.
"I'm honored and excited for the opportunity to lead this program, especially having already been a part of it," relayed Knieper. "I believe in this program and the current group we have, and I'm excited to continue building, growing and competing at a high level as we work to push Macomb Volleyball to the next level."
Want to become a Monarch? Email Coach Knieper at
kniepere656@macomb.edu.
