Kelsee Montagna was appointed as Head Coach of Fresno Pacific Sunbirds volleyball in February 2024. She is the 8
th coach to lead the most successful athletic program in the university’s history.
Montagna’s influence was felt immediately once her first season began. Inheriting 12 returners from a team who finished 13-16 in 2023 and was predicted to finish ninth in the preseason coaches’ poll, she led the Sunbirds to a vastly-improved 18-10 record and third place PacWest finish, behind only NCAA West Regional qualifiers Point Loma and Chaminade. She also had three student-athletes earn all-conference honors in Mia Gilcrest (First Team), Cambria Waites (First Team), and Makayla Smith (Second Team, Co-Freshman of the Year).
Savvy recruiting and diverse coaching backgrounds have set up Montagna and FPU for continued success. Before FPU, the Madera native served as director of Valley Volleyball Club, and was an assistant coach for the indoor and beach volleyball programs at Fresno City College from 2022. Prior to FCC, she was head coach of both the indoor and beach programs at Cabrillo College from 2018 – 2022 where she won three conference titles along with a state tournament appearance. She earned Conference Coach of the Year accolades in 2019.
Montagna is also a two-time AVCA Thirty Under 30 honoree in 2022 and 2024.
As a player she was a starter, captain, and State Champion in two years at Cabrillo. She would then transfer to NAIA’s University of Providence in Great Falls, Montana for her final two years. At UP (then known as University of Great Falls) she excelled as a captain and starter as a right-side hitter and was named First Team All-Conference as a senior. Her coaching career began immediately as a grad assistant at UP following graduation.
At the time of her hire, Montagna stated, “I'm so excited to be able help these student-athletes with academics, athletics and their Christian faith. The volleyball community at FPU is very positive. I'm excited to reconnect the bridges in the volleyball community within the Central Valley."
Montagna earned a BS in Business Administration and MA in Organizational Leadership & Management, both from the University of Providence as well as a MA in Exercise Science & Coaching from Concordia University Irvine.
If you are potential student-athlete and want to be recruited to play volleyball at FPU, please fill out the recruit form:
Volleyball
