Rio Grande --- The University of Rio Grande volleyball program will have a new first lieutenant this season as Holly Motheral has been added to the coaching staff as the new graduate assistant. Motheral replaces former Rio player Lynnette Kiesling, who finished up her post-graduate degree.

Motheral, a native of Paris, Ontario, comes to Rio Grande after a four-year playing career at former American Mideast Conference foe, Houghton College. She also played one season of basketball at Houghton.

She is extremely pleased to be at Rio Grande and anxious to get started. "I'm very excited. I've known since I started playing college volleyball that I wanted to coach later on and I'm very thankful for this opportunity that (Rio Grande head coach) Billina (Donaldson ) has given me to be with the team for the next two years," Motheral said.   "I'm really looking forward to what the next two years have to offer."

Motheral explained the process of how she went from Houghton player and graduate to graduate assistant at the University of Rio Grande. "During the month of June, I had been looking for a job.  I'm certified to teach physical education, so I was looking for a teaching and coaching job," she said. "My coach from Houghton, Nancy Cole, sent me an e-mail saying that Billina was looking for a graduate assistant, so I e-mailed Billina right back that day and she offered me the job on the phone later that day."

Donaldson is excited about what Motheral will bring to the program. "Holly has the passion for the game of volleyball that we look for in coaches," Donaldson said. "She has a stand up and take-charge attitude and is not afraid to jump into a situation and take it over, to get things done."

"When looking for a replacement for Lynnette Kiesling, I knew it was not going to be easy to fill her shoes," Donaldson said. "Lynnette did a tremendous job at running the office and taking over any situation I needed her to cover. I believe Holly is fully committed to taking on this position and running with it."

"She shows great enthusiasm toward her position and has hit the ground running," Donaldson added. "I am excited and proud to have her in our program."

"The RedStorm is looking forward to a great season and we are happy to have Holly on board."

Motheral was a middle blocker for the Highlanders. While at Houghton, she was a two-time NAIA Scholar Athlete. She received a Bachelor of Science degree in Physical Education and will pursue her Masters' in education at Rio Grande while helping Coach Donaldson with the volleyball program.

Donaldson is not only confident in Motheral's abilities to coach, but feels that her character and background will be tremendous assets to the program. "She displays the core values that show she is a true champion of character," Donaldson said. "She is exactly the kind of young woman you want to have around your student-athletes. Holly is very well-rounded and has the ability to relate to several different types of people. She has met a lot of the team and several people around campus and in a very short time has built a nice rapport with each."

Motheral has some familiarity with Rio Grande having played against the RedStorm while in college. "We played them all four years and actually last year on my senior night, we played Rio at Houghton and they beat us in three (games)," she said. "It's kind of ironic that I ended up here." 

She believes that Rio Grande is the right destination for her at this point in time. "Definitely, it was a God-thing, it was meant to be," Motheral said. "I'm glad I'm here."

Holly is the daughter of Jamie and Sandra Motheral and has one sister, Erin.