Kathy Jewell is set to enter her 22nd year with Purdue volleyball in 2024. Jewell joined the program with the first coaching staff hire by head coach Dave Shondell in March 2003 as an assistant coach. Most recently, Jewell was promoted to associate head coach on January 1, 2024 after previously serving as assistant head coach – recruiting coordinator (2021-23) and assistant coach (2003-2021).
“Kat is very well respected by the people in our business,” said Shondell upon her latest promotion. “So much of her efforts are behind-the-scenes: from one-on-one communications with players, support staff, colleagues, and more. She is the absolute backbone of Purdue volleyball and those who have represented our team for years understand the impact she’s had. Kat is unique in her desire to make productive improvements in our program and I’m so happy to see Kat rewarded for all she has done over the last 21 years. It’s a good day for Boilermaker Volleyball.”
In her 21 seasons with the Boilermakers, Jewell has helped guide Purdue to 18 NCAA Tournament berths, holding a perfect 18-0 record in First Round matches. Moreover, the Boilermakers have made 10 Regional Semifinal appearances and four Regional Final appearances (2021, 2020, 2013, 2010) since Jewell joined the staff.
An integral cog in Purdue’s recruiting process, Jewell, alongside head coach Dave Shondell and the Purdue coaching staff, has ushered two No. 3 nationally-ranked recruiting classes (according to PrepVolleyball) in 2023 and 2014. In total, the recruiting coordinator has helped produce 15 top-30 ranked recruit classes for Purdue, including 11 years ranked among the top-15 and seven years among the top-8 in the nation.
Jewell has helped Purdue reach 458 wins over the past 21 seasons and a .670 winning % at Purdue. Moreover, she has taken part in the development of 20 All-Americans accounting for 38 All-America nods over their careers, 83 All-Big Ten and 154 Academic All-Big Ten honors.
Before her time in West Lafayette, Jewell brought five years of coaching experience on various levels to the Purdue program. From August 2000 until her hiring at Purdue in 2003, she was an assistant coach at Central Michigan, acting as recruiting and travel coordinator while working with the outside hitters on the court.
In her three seasons with the program, Jewell also worked with the Chippewas' summer camps, community activities and high school and state Special Olympics games.
After a four-year career as an outside hitter for Division II Northern Michigan (1994 to 1997), Jewell began coaching in Louisville, Ky., with the Derby City Volleyball Club. In 1999, Jewell landed the assistant varsity coaching job at Our Lady of Providence High School in Clarksville, Ind., where she assisted with team conditioning and training as well as summer camp administration. In 2001, she coached the Valley Volleyball West 18 Elite team in St. Louis, Mich.
As a player at Northern Michigan, Jewell helped guide the Wildcats to the Division II Elite Eight three times, as they captured second, third and fourth place. The Wildcats won the Division II national championship during Jewell's freshman year in 1994.
A three-year team captain, Jewell garnered NCAA Elite Eight All-Tournament team honors during her sophomore and junior seasons. A 2000 inductee into the NMU Hall of Fame as part of the 1994 national championship team, Jewell was named All-Great Lakes Region her final two years. She ranks second in career digs (1,359), third in career matches played (145), fourth in career service aces (159), and ninth in career kills (974) at NMU. Her 1996 and 1997 season dig totals both rank in the top five in the Wildcat record book.
Jewell is a native of Jeffersonville, Ind, and graduated from Northern Michigan with a bachelor's degree in management of health and fitness in 1998. In June 2011, Jewell was an assistant coach for one of two teams competing in the Bring It Promotions/USA-China Challenge, which also featured Boilermakers Catherine Rebarchak and Carly Cramer.
Kathy Jewell