Wingate, N.C.----Wingate University Director of Athletics Joe Reich has announced the hiring of Molly Lambillotte as the next Wingate volleyball head coach. A 2022 Wingate graduate, Lambillotte was an All-American outside hitter for the Bulldogs.

"I am overwhelmed with gratitude and excitement as I step into this role at Wingate University," Lambillotte says. "I wholeheartedly believe in Wingate as a university, I have deep trust in our athletic department, and I know firsthand how special this volleyball program is. This program has always been one of the most meaningful parts of my life, and it is an honor to now lead it forward. I am incredibly thankful to our Athletic Director Joe Reich for trusting me to continue the legacy of Wingate volleyball and for the opportunity to guide our student-athletes toward success on and off the court. We will honor the standard that has been built here while boldly pursuing new levels of excellence. I am excited to pour into our athletes, compete at the highest level, and continue building a culture that makes Wingate proud."

Lambillotte has been busy since graduating from Wingate, starting her coaching career as an assistant coach at the University of Central Florida in January of 2023. She then spent a season at UNC Pembroke, before becoming an assistant coach at volleyball powerhouse Stanford, where she spent two seasons. In her time at Stanford, the Cardinal piled up 57 wins and advanced to the 2024 regional title match.

"Having had the pleasure of working with Molly over the past two years, I couldn't be happier for Molly, the current and future Wingate athletes, and the athletic department," Stanford head coach Kevin Hambly says. "Molly is an incredibly hard worker who will tirelessly give everything she has to the Wingate program. I know she has a vision for how she wants to run the program, and an important part of the vision will be coaching the athlete to win at a high level, but more importantly insuring they develop as young women and that they are prepared for the next stage of their lives. Molly is a great coach but most importantly, she is a great person and I can't wait to watch her teams play."

"Molly is an ideal person to be the new head coach at Wingate for several reasons," Wingate and AVCA Hall of Famer Shelton Collier says. "First, she has tremendous pride in Wingate as a university and as a volleyball program. Most importantly, she assertively pursued three very different assistant coaching opportunities, gaining a wide range of experiences, all of which will serve her well as a head coach. It will be exciting to see Wingate volleyball have continued success under her leadership."

Lambillotte saw plenty of success in her five-year playing career at Wingate, where she served as a team captain each of her final four seasons. The Bulldogs won five regular season conference titles during her career, adding two SAC Tourney championships. The 'Dogs also captured a pair of regional championships in her career.

"Coach Lambillotte is the perfect mix of enthusiasm, experience and program history for this job," Reich says. "She is intricately aware of our history but is looking to evolve the program and move us forward."

Lambillotte was an All-SAC, All-Region and third team All-American in 2022, leading the 'Dogs to a 32-3 overall record, a 17-1 mark in league play and a pair of SAC titles. The Bulldogs won the region championship and advanced to the national quarterfinals, where they lost in five sets to eventual national champion West Texas A&M. Lambillotte appeared in 138 matches in her time with the Bulldogs, piling up 889 kills, 1,315 digs, 175 blocks and 121 aces.

Lambillotte will take over as a head coach of one of the most successful programs in college volleyball over the last two decades. The Bulldogs have won 19 of the last 20 regular season SAC titles, adding 15 SAC Tournament championships. Wingate has appeared in 20 consecutive NCAA Tournaments, while advancing to the regional title match 11 times in that time. The 'Dogs have captured seven region championships since 2010, while earning regional hosting duties 12 times since 2008, including each of the last four seasons. The Bulldogs are 555-56 overall since the start of the 2007 season, going 330-20 in league play.

WINGATE UNIVERSITY

Wingate University is a lab of difference-making that serves more than 3,400 students in North Carolina and offers 60 degree pathways, including 37 undergraduate majors, 10 pre-professional tracks and five dual-degree programs. Graduate students choose from seven master's and five doctoral programs. The University is home to the Cannon College of Arts and Sciences, the Levine College of Health Sciences, the Byrum School of Business, the Thayer School of Education and the School of Sport Sciences.

Founded in 1896, Wingate University is a leader in healthcare education where nearly one in five undergraduate students is preparing to be a pharmacist, physician assistant, physical therapist, occupational therapist or nurse. Student-athletes on Wingate's 30 teams compete in NCAA Division II and have brought home the SAC Echols Athletic Excellence Award the past 17 times it has been awarded. The University's motto is "Faith, Knowledge, Service." View current news and videos at www.wingate.edu.