Lacey Bell has been named interim head coach of the Linfield University volleyball program, bringing with her 15 years of professional and semi-professional international playing experience to her new position.
Bell comes to Linfield from Pacific University, where her most recent role came as an assistant varsity coach and recruiting coordinator. She also was in charge of leading the Boxers’ junior varsity program.
Her volleyball resume is unique, combining extensive playing and coaching opportunities. As noted, she has 15 years of professional and semi-professional international playing experience, most notably as player-coach and seniors elite team captain with Volley Ball Pexinois Niort France, a club team located in France’s central-west coast region.
While in France, she taught American culture and language to students in grades 5-12 and headed Volley Ball Pexinois Niort France’s development youth program, coaching boys and girls ages 6-17.
Bell began her collegiate playing career at Eastern Washington University before transferring to Gonzaga University for her final three seasons. She completed a bachelor’s degree in philosophy and political science at Gonzaga, where she was a member of the Bulldogs volleyball squad as a right-side hitter and outside hitter.
Bell earned a master’s degree in philosophy from the University of Poitiers in France. She holds regional and national French Volleyball Federation coaching certifications.
She becomes just the fifth Wildcats head coach in the last 45 years.