WILDCATS LOOK TO BUILD OFF PREVIOUS SUCCESS WITH NEW COACH AT HELM

The Culver-Stockton women’s volleyball team has found its new leader. As announced in a press release from the college’s athletic department, the Wildcats have hired Josh Branan as the 12th head coach in program history.

Branan brings 31 years of volleyball experience, most recently serving as head coach of the men’s volleyball program at Brewton-Parker College in Mount Vernon, Georgia. Before that, he led both the men’s and women’s programs at Tennessee Wesleyan, where he also served as E-Sports Director. In addition to coaching the Wildcats’ women’s volleyball team, Branan will also take over as head coach of Culver-Stockton’s E-Sports program.

He becomes the program’s third head coach in the past three years, and fourth in the last five. The Wildcats hope his leadership will bring much-needed stability to the program. As Athletic Director Pat Atwell noted, “One of the keys in this hiring was trying to find somebody that hopefully would stick around. They always tell you they’re going to stick around, but I wanted somebody with experience.”

Branan takes over following the departure of Audrye Alejandro-Rivera, who stepped down in early 2025. Under Alejandro-Rivera, the Wildcats finished last season with a 15-15 overall record and a 7-11 mark in Heart Conference play—placing ninth and narrowly missing the postseason.

While Branan didn’t get to recruit his first class, the returners made sure the program stayed strong during the transition. Senior captain Lauren Bloom recalled, “Yeah, when our previous coach left, all the returners—not just the seniors—were reaching out to our commits and trying to get them to stay.”

Atwell praised the players for how they handled the uncertainty. “I give them a lot of credit for staying calm. We’ve been through this. I’ll make sure you’re involved,” he said. He also noted how the team—both returners and newcomers—participated in the hiring process. “They were involved in the interviews. I always tell the student-athletes, you’re not going to pick the coach, but your opinion is very important. Even the new kids jumped in. But the seniors’ and returners’ leadership was spectacular.”

When it comes to the season ahead, Branan says the vibes in the gym are positive but focused. “That’s pretty much how it is. I don’t want to waste time or waste touches in the gym. So when it’s time to get the work done, they do. And we joke around a little bit, then get right back at it.”

The leadership group is now determined to build on last year’s success. Bloom said, “Yeah, our success overall is something—we know what winning feels like now. We don’t want to go back to a losing season after a winning season. So maintaining that consistency, knowing what we need to do, is important.”

So far, Branan says he has enjoyed his time at Culver-Stockton College and in Canton, Missouri. “Oh, I love it. I’m a small-town kind of guy, and that’s what we’ve got here. It’s more like a family environment. So far, so good—I’m loving it and plan to be here for a long time.”

While still getting settled in, Branan is focused on preparing the team for their season opener on the road against the Saint Ambrose Fighting Bees on August 27th. “We’re trying to get everyone on the same page, work together, and communicate. We have a tremendous group—around 25-26 girls, and 13 of them are new. We’ve got to get up to speed and learn the Culver way.”