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Melissa Rudy Named Head Coach At Old Westbury
OLD WESTBURY, NY (www.oldwestburypanthers.com)
- The SUNY College at Old Westbury Vice President for
Student Affairs & Interim Athletic Director ML Langlie,
Ph.D. today announced the hiring of Melissa
Rudy as head women's volleyball coach. Rudy takes the
reins from Marjahna Segers, who stepped down after a seven-year run
(112 victories – 2010 Skyline Conference Coach of the Year)
to pursue her dreams of attending medical school. She inherits a
team that is coming off a program best 24-win season and its first
ever ECAC Tournament berth. Old Westbury returns 12-of-13 Panthers
from the 2010 squad, including a trio of All-Skyline
selections.
Rudy takes on her first head coaching job on the
collegiate level after guiding Island Trees High School from the
sideline the past four years. In 2008, she guided the Bulldogs to
its first playoff appearance in four years with a 14-2 record, en
route to being named Conference Coach of the Year. She has been
coaching LIBA County Volleyball Coaches Association since 2004 and
served as President of the Nassau County Volleyball Coaches
Association.
She is no stranger to the SUNY system. Rudy played three seasons
for the Rams and was a SUNY Chancellor Scholar-Athlete in 2006 and
was placed on the Skyline Conference Scholar-Athlete List in 2004,
2005 and 2006.
After redshirting in 2002-03 at James Madison University, she
transferred to Farmingdale State and was a two-sport athlete in
volleyball and lacrosse. In 2004 and 2005, Rudy held the captain
position for both teams. During the 2004 season, the Dix Hills New
York native garnered All-Skyline Conference Second-Team honors.
She graduated in 2006 from Farmingdale State Summa Cum Laude with
a degree in Business Management and went onto receive her masters
in Childhood Education (Math/Special Education) from Long Island
University-C.W. Post in 2009. She is currently enrolled at C.W.
Post in the Autism/CASE program. Rudy has been teaching Special
Education at Sewanhaka Central High School district since 2007.
Rudy played four years of varsity ball at Half Hollow Hills East
High School and was a member of the Division Championship squads in
2001 and 2002.
Coach Rudy currently lives in Dix Hills, New York and will be
married in December 2011. Rudy also has a dog named Squirt.
