Volleyball

Volleyball Pupil Still Can't Beat Teacher
October 11, 2005

By Lee France
For the Charleston Daily Mail

University of Charleston volleyball Coach Bren Stevens is not quite ready to pass the baton to Shannon Gerencir.

Even though Gerencir is one of Stevens' former players, the fact remains that now she also is West Virginia State's volleyball coach.

That's why Gerencir still is without a victory against her mentor, falling again to the Golden Eagles in five sets (28-30, 30-27, 28-30, 30-24, 15-10) Monday at Eddie King Gymnasium.

Gerencir, in her fourth season with the Yellow Jackets (13-7 overall, 9-2 West Virginia Conference), was a setter for Stevens at UC (17-6, 11-0). Her memories include bad knees and Stevens backing the team van into assorted objects.

"She used to hit everything," Gerencir said with a smile. "She would never admit it, but it is all true."

Now, the two coaches square off against each other twice a year in WVC play. So far, Stevens still has the advantage, but the gap in the competition level is closing quickly.

"When the job became available at West Virginia State, I put in a call for her," Stevens said. "I knew she had been doing a great job of coaching and, now, I don't know if I made the right decision or not.

"She really has her kids playing great volleyball and it's just a tribute to her playing style and coaching ability."

Gerencir spent four years playing for Stevens, beginning in 1994. She coached Capital High for a few seasons before accepting the position at State.

Since taking over, Gerencir steadily has guided the Yellow Jackets up the conference standings, leading State into contention as the second-ranked team in the league.

It seems fitting that standing in Gerencir's way for the No. 1 spot is who else? her former coach. In her 12th year at the helm of the Golden Eagles, Stevens has amassed 335 career victories with just 119 losses numbers that put her 12th on the career victories list in Division II volleyball. The Eagles don't seem to be letting up either, recently handing Wheeling Jesuit its first conference regular season defeat since 2001. "She (Stevens) is a great coach," Gerencir said.

But, surprisingly, Gerencir hasn't taken much from Stevens' approach to the game.

"I think my coaching style has evolved over the years to form kind of my own identity," said Gerencir. "Stevens was always a bit more harsh in her coaching style than I am now. I seem to accomplish things my way as more of a cheerleader on the sideline."

Stevens said she understands that explanation and applauds Gerencir for her career.

"I don't deny that early in my career I was very tough on my players," Stevens said. "You still have to work the players hard, but you also have to mix in the praise.

"I am real proud of the way she has moved that program in a positive direction."

The two teams will meet again Nov. 2 at Fleming Hall in Institute and, quite possibly, once again in the WVC tournament that begins Nov. 10.

"Tonight, they (UC) got lucky," Gerencir said. "It will be a different story when we see them again in November."