South Dakota Mines

The 2024 RMAC Volleyball Coach of the Year is entering her 8th season at the helm of Hardrocker Volleyball. In seven seasons, Prochazka has successfully rebuilt the program, taking over a team that had won 1 match the season prior to her arrival to a team that has qualified for the RMAC playoffs four times and is coming off another best Division II season in school history.

• Prochazka was named the 12th head coach in Hardrocker volleyball history on May 9, 2018.
• Prochazka owns a career head coaching record of 121-121.
• After starting from the bottom, Prochazka has led South Dakota Mines to a 59-49 record over the past four seasons from 2021-2024.
• All three of South Dakota Mines RMAC Playoff qualifying teams have been under Prochazka's directions, qualify in three of the past four seasons and playing in two straight.
• Under Prochazka's Direction, Hannah Benes was named RMAC Defensive Player of the Year in 2024 and Ivy Vindivich was named RMAC Freshman of the Year in 2023.
• Led the Hardrockers to its best Division II season, going 18-9, hosting an RMAC playoff match for the 2nd year in a row.
• On November 3, 2023, Prochazka picked up her 100th career head coaching win in a sweep over Colorado Christian.
• Prochazka led the University of Minnesota Morris for two years, compiling a 42-23 record, including a program record 26-8 season in 2017.
• In her time leading Minnesota Morris, Prochazka led the program to back-to-back Upper Midwest Athletic Conference Championship appearances.

2024 Season

• In 2024, the South Dakota Mines Volleyball Program had its best DII season in the program history, going 18-9 and finishing 3rd in the RMAC.
• The Hardrockers finished with a program best 11-3 record in the RMAC.
• Coach Prochazka was named RMAC Volleyball Coach of the Year.
• Alessandra Meoni finished her storied career with the Hardrockers, being named an AVCA Honarable Mention All-American and First Team All-Region.
• Hannah Benes was named RMAC Defensive Player of the Year. This is the first time a Hardrocker has been named RMAC Player of the Year.
• The Hardrockers were voted to an 8th place ranking in the South Central Regional Ranking in hte second to last week rankings took place.
• Five Hardrockers were named RMAC All-Conference. Alessandra Meoni, Kiley Metzger, and Hannah Benes were named to the first team. Jenna Curtis and Ivy Vindivich were named Honorable Mention.

2023 Season

• In 2023, the South Dakota Mines volleyball program had their best season since becoming a full Division II member in 2013.
• 18 wins was a program best since becoming a full Division II member in 2013.
• In RMAC play, the Hardrockers recorded 10 wins, a school record.
• The 10-4 RMAC record earned the four seed in the RMAC Playoffs, not only giving the Hardrockers their third RMAC playoff berth in the past four years, but also the opportunity to host a playoff game, also a first in program history.
• It was also just the second time that the program has finished a season with a winning record since 2013.
• South Dakota Mines advanced to the RMAC semifinals for the first time after defeating CSU Pueblo at the King Center in five sets.
• The Hardrocker held serve at home, going 8-2 in the friendly confines of the King Center.
• The offense also was fourth in the RMAC in points (16.92/set), fifth in assists (11.86/set) and first in aces (2.02/set). That mark was 31st in NCAA Division II.
• Several individuals were near the top of RMAC categories in part due to Prochazka’s coaching, including Hannah Benes (aces, 1st, 20th NCAA Division II, digs, 2nd), Kiera Walsh (aces, 4th, blocks, 7th), Josey Wickersham (aces, 5th), Rachel Mau (aces, 10th), Kiley Metzger (assists, 6th), Alessandra Meoni (hitting percentage, 3rd, kills per set, 5th points per set, 7th, total kills, 3rd).
• Prochazka helped Alessandra Meoni into being named the program’s second Division II All-American when Meoni was named AVCA All-America Honorable Mention.
• Meoni was also named AVCA All-South Central Region Honorable Mention.
• Vindivich was named RMAC Freshman of the Year. This marked the first time in program history that a Hardrocker earned a postseason individual award from the RMAC.
• Meoni, Hannah Benes, Ivy Vindivich and Kiley Metzger all earned RMAC honors, with the former being named RMAC Second Team All-Conference and the later earning RMAC All-Conference Honorable Mention.
• It was the Hardrockers’ defense that allowed them to take a large step forward in 2023 as they were near the top of the RMAC in several defensive categories, including: digs (16.31/set, 2nd RMAC), opponent hitting percentage (.195, 4th RMAC) and opponent kills (11.71/set, 3rd RMAC).

2022 Season

• Despite an 11-16 overall record, in 2022, the Hardrockers were able to qualify for the RMAC playoffs for a second time in three years.
• In the month of October, the team turned on the afterburners, winning five of six to start the month and going 6-3 overall, in a stretch that was critical to earning the playoff berth.
• In the opening round of the RMAC playoffs, the Hardrockers met up with 2 seed, Regis and gave them a match, taking a set off the Rangers before ultimately falling in four sets.
• Prochazka put an emphasis on defense, putting together a squad that was second in the RMAC in digs per set (15.83) and third in total team digs (1,599).
• Hannah Benes finished her freshman year seventh in the RMAC in aces per set (.36), while Kiley Metzger finished fifth in assists per set (9.14).
• Jacey Koethe was one of the best players in the RMAC, finishing eighth in hitting percentage (.301), fifth in kills per set (3.43), sixth in blocks per set (.96) and first in the RMAC in points per set and 36th at the NCAA Division II level.
• Koethe became the first RMAC All-Conference First Team selection in program history.
• In addition, Paisley Gibson and Kiley Metzger were named RMAC All-Conference Honorable Mention.

2021 Season

• To begin the 2021 season, the Hardrockers won six of their first seven games.
• That stretch included the Hardrockers’ most recent victory over a top 25 team when they defeated Northern State on the road on Sep. 10 in four sets.
• The Hardrockers would hit a bit of tough luck, having several key players miss time, but would ultimately finish just two games under .500 at 12-14, another improvement after finishing the previous full (non-covid season) at 11-16.
• As a team, SDM finished second in the RMAC in digs per set at 17.21, while also finishing fifth in assists per set (11.16).
• Jacey Koethe finished 10th in the RMAC in points per set (3.16).
• Shyann Bastian finished the year with 13 triple-doubles, leading the conference and coming in 13th at the NCAA Division II level.
• Koethe was named RMAC All-Conference Honorable Mention.

2020-21 Season (COVID)

• In the COVID-19 shortened year, the Hardrockers played just 14 games, winning 5.
• They were better in RMAC play, however, going 5-7 to earn the programs first berth in the RMAC Playoffs, despite being unable to play in the game.
• Jacey Koethe was second in the RMAC and 40th at the NCAA Division II level, averaging 1.07 blocks per set. Koethe averaged 3.48 points per set to finish sixth among the RMAC.
• Anna Thomas averaged 4.15 digs per set to finish in fifth in the RMAC.
• Koethe was named RMAC All-Conference Second Team.
• Shyann Bastian, Lily Bartling and Anna Thomas earned RMAC All-Conference Honorable Mention.

2019 Season

• In Prochazka’s second year leading the bench, the team made huge strides, going from four wins to 11, a seven-game improvement.
• Holdovers, Shyann Bastian and Dana Thomson were big factors in this along with the impactful freshman class of Anna Thomas, Kassie and Kristin Luce, Chelsea Brewster, Dejah Behrend, Jacey Koethe, Victoria Zagorski and Lily Bartling along with incoming sophomore, Addie Stanley.
• The Hardrockers ranked fifth in the RMAC in digs per set (16.76) and third in total digs (1,844).
• Bastian finished eighth in the conference in assists, averaging 6.54 per set.
• Freshmen, Jacey Koethe and Anna Thomas made immediate impacts, finishing 11th in blocks per set and third in digs per set among RMAC players with .94 and 5.65.
• Prochazka helped Dana Thomson in a huge sophomore leap as she finished first in the conference in kills per set (4.21), total kills (459) and third in points per set (4.54). At the NCAA Division II level, those marks were 11th, 20th and 26th.
• Dana Thomson became the first Division II All-American in program history when she was named AVCA All-America Honorable Mention.
• Thomson was also the first All-Region selection, earning AVCA All-South Central Region Honorable Mention.

2018 Season

• Prochazka’s first year behind the bench was a rebuilding year as the year prior, the Hardrockers won just one match.
• In Year one, Prochazka improved the team’s win total by three, but it wasn’t what happened on the court, it was what happened off of it that laid the foundation for the future.
• Prochazka hit the recruiting trail hard, bringing in eight signings in Anna Thomas, Kassie and Kristin Luce, Chelsea Brewster, Dejah Behrend, Jacey Koethe, Victoria Zagorski and Lily Bartling along with incoming sophomore, Addie Stanley.
• This group would shape the future of the program, setting a new standard and culture on and off the floor.

• Prochazka has led the volleyball program to earn five straight American Volleyball Coaches Association team academic awards (3.3 GPA for full academic year).
• 42 student-athletes have earned RMAC academic honors since Prochazka took over on the bench (minimum of 3.3 cumulative GPA).
• Alessandra Meoni and Kiley Metzger became the Hardrockers first College Sports Communicators Academic All-District selection following the 2023 season.
• Metzger became the fourth South Dakota Mines volleyball player to be selected to the RMAC All Academic – First Team in 2023.
• Throughout the academic year of 2022-23, 10 semesters from individuals ended in a perfect 4.0 GPA.
• In the spring of 2023, the combined GPA of the team was over 3.5 for the third time in the previous four semesters.
• Eight student-athletes had GPAs over 3.5 in 2022-23.
• In each semester during the 2021-22 academic year, Prochazka’s team recorded GPAs above 3.5.
• Five student-athletes had cumulative GPAs over 3.7 following the 2020 and 2021 seasons.
• In 2019, Dana Thomson became just the third volleyball player to be named RMAC All Academic – First Team.

• Prochazka led the University of Minnesota Morris for two years, compiling a 42-23 record, including a program record 26-8 season in 2017.
• In her time leading Minnesota Morris, Prochazka led the program to back-to-back Upper Midwest Athletic Conference Championship appearances.
• Minnesota Morris dominated UMAC play to the tune of a 21-3 record through the 2016 and 2017 seasons.
• James Gremmels Court was a fortress as the Cougars went 16-5 at home.
• The .646 winning percentage through Prochazka’s two years is the highest of any coach in school history that has served multiple seasons.
• The 2017 team set program records in hitting percentage and kills that still stand.
• 24 student-athletes who were coaches by Prochazka sit in the Minnesota Morris top 10 for career and single-seasons statistics.
• 14 top 10 individual match records were set during the 2016 and 2017 season that still stand.
• 10 student-athletes earned Upper Midwest Athletic Conference honors in Prochazka’s two years leading the team.
• In total, 21 student-athletes earned UMAC weekly honors over the two years.
• Academically, 12 student-athletes earned UMAC All-Academic awards and the team was awarded by the AVCA for its academics, following the 2016 season.
• Katie Reitsma and Marissa Ekness were two of the best players in program history, earning spots on the UMAC All-Decade team in 2018.
• Reitsma won the conference’s defensive player of the year award in 2016 and 2017.
• Prochazka coached the UMAC Rookie of the Year twice in Layne Herrmann and Mia Frick.
• In 2017, Ekness and Reitsma were named AVCA Division III All-America Honorable Mention, following AVCA Division III All-Central Region team selections.
• Following the 2016 season, Ekness was named AVCA All-America Honorable mention and AVCA All-Central Region while Reitsma was named AVCA All-Central Region Honorable Mention.

• Prochazka’s first coaching stop was as a graduate assistant at DePauw University from 2012-2013. Prochazka helped lead the program to a 51-13 record including postseason play and a 13-3 record in UCAC Conference play. In those two years, DePauw played in the UCAC Conference Championship. In 2013, DePauw advanced to the Division III NCAA Tournament. 8 players were named to the Southern Collegiate Athletic Conference end-of-season teams. Five players were named all-region and one earned all-american honors during her time. DePauw earned top 25 recognition and their first NCAA tournament appearance since 2000.
• From 2014-15, Prochazka served as the lead assistant at Division III power, Colorado College. In her two years as top assistant at Colorado College, Prochazka helped guide the Tigers to a 64-13 overall record, including postseason play. The Tigers qualified for the NCAA Division III tournament in both of the 2014 and 2015 seasons. In those years, Colorado College had 13 All-SCAC selections and end-of-season award winners. In addition, five were named to the AVCA West Region team and three were named All-American. Sophie Merrifield also was named Libero of the Year at the Division III level.
• Prochazka has served at the national level as a tryout courts coach, an administrative staff member and camp coach for various age groups with Team USA volleyball.
• Outside of coaching, Prochazka spent time with Ohio State University as an event management intern.

• Prochazka was a four-year player at Springfield College, as a middle.
• Prochazka was a two-time all-conference selection earning the award in 2010 and 2011.
• In 2011, she earned many honors, being named AVCA All-American First Team, New England Women’s and Men’s Athletic Conference Player of the Year and Eastern College Athletic Conference Division III New England Volleyball All-Stars Offensive Player of the Year.
• Thanks in large part to her play, Springfield earned a trip to the Division III Elite 8 in 2011.
• Following her career, she earned a spot on the Volleyball 25 Year All-NEWMAC team announced in 2022.

• Prochazka graduated from Springfield College in 2012 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in sport management and went on to earn a master’s degree from Indiana State University in 2014.
• Prochazka and her husband, Aaron, have two sons, Hank and Louie.

• 2018-pres. – South Dakota Mines (Head Coach)
• 2016-2017 – University of Minnesota Morris (Head Coach)
• 2015-2016 – Colorado College (Lead Assistant)
• 2013-2014 – DePauw University (Graduate Assistant)

 
YEAR        SCHOOL                    RECORD        POSTSEASON 
2016          Minnesota Morris            16-15                    0-1
2017          Minnesota Morris            26-8                      1-1
2018          South Dakota Mines       4-24                
2019          South Dakota Mines       11-16        
2020-21     South Dakota Mines       5-9
2021          South Dakota Mines       12-14
2022          South Dakota Mines       11-16                     0-1
2023          South Dakota Mines       18-10                    1-1
2024          South Dakota Mines       18-9                      0-1
                  Career Record:              121-121                2-5