Returns to her Native Southwest Virginia After Two Seasons at Arkansas-Monticello

EMORY, Va. --- Devyn Bayes has been selected to be the next Head Volleyball Coach at Emory & Henry College, Director of Athletics Myra Sims announced Wednesday. Bayes returns to her native Southwest Virginia after spending the past two seasons as the Graduate Assistant Volleyball Coach at the University of Arkansas-Monticello.

"I'm very excited about beginning my new journey as the head volleyball coach at Emory & Henry College," said Bayes. "My goal is to push us into the top tier of the ODAC by focusing on discipline and the fundamentals of the game. I love coaching in a fast-paced atmosphere and I can't wait to hit the ground running with this talented group of athletes."

While with the Cotton Blossoms, Bayes helped guide the team out of the bottom of the Great American Conference, going from three wins in 2010 to 12 wins this past year. She assisted in all aspects of the program including recruiting, practice, travel, academic success and budgeting. Bayes was also involved in the team's service projects which raised over $3,000 for the Make-A-Wish Foundation and the Side Out Foundation.

In addition to her duties as a coach, Bayes taught a weight training class and also was a teaching assistant in UAM's political science department, where she specialized in Middle East and African politics.

"I am very excited that Devyn Bayes will be our next Head Volleyball Coach," noted Sims. "One of the things that really made her stand out was her familiarity with Emory & Henry and with this area. She is a native of Southwest Virginia and has had long term involvement in club volleyball in the region. Those existing connections were an important consideration for us in the search process."

Prior to her stint at Monticello, Bayes was the head coach for the women's club volleyball team and the assistant coach for the men's club volleyball team at American University. She managed the operations of both squads, coordinating the teams' practices, tournaments and travel.

Bayes has also been involved in youth volleyball in the Roanoke Valley and Southwest Virginia as a Camp Director with STAR Volleyball Camps for the past eight years. As part of her duties, she traveled across the country directing both skills and team camps for ages 10-18 and also worked with the head administrator in program development and implementation.

"She is a very smart young woman who has outstanding communication skills and that is so important in coaching. We were very impressed by Devyn's maturity and by her ability to articulate a clear vision for what she wants to do as a coach," Sims added.

Bayes holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science with a minor in Russian Studies from Ferrum College, which she earned in 2010. She has earned a pair of master's degrees: a Master of Arts from American University in Ethics, Peace and Global Affairs and a Master of Education in Physical Education and Coaching from Arkansas-Monticello.

--- This release is courtesy of the Emory & Henry College sports informationa department. ---
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