In the fall of 2011, women's volleyball will be added to the list of nationally recognized athletic programs at Odessa College.  Alana Rowland has been selected as the first Head Coach in school history.  Rowland comes to Odessa College after having spent four seasons as assistant volleyball coach at Seward County Community College in Liberal, Kansas. 

Last season Rowland was instrumental in helping guide the Lady Saints to a Jayhawk West Conference Championship and a #14 NJCAA national ranking.  In 2008 Rowland helped lead the Lady Saints to an impressive 36 win season that resulted in a 2nd place finish in the Jayhawk West Conference.  In Rowland's first season with the Lady Saints, the Lady Saints played in the NJCAA Region VI Tournament championship match.

Odessa College athletic director Wayne Baker is thrilled about OC's new program and new coach. "Odessa College and the entire community of Odessa, TX are extremely excited about adding volleyball to the sport program at OC.   We were very fortunate to have a great applicant pool to choose from, and feel very good about the choice of Alana Rowland to be the first volleyball coach in the history of Odessa College.  Alana has the energy and personality to successfully initiate the inaugural volleyball program at Odessa College. We are excited to welcome Alana to the Odessa College family."

Rowland is ready to embark on this historic journey. "I think it's a great opportunity to build a program from scratch and add to Odessa College's stellar athletic reputation.  I feel very fortunate to be able to work with Wayne Baker and I really appreciate his hard work and desire to get the program started in a way that will allow us to be competitive immediately.  Everyone at OC has been very welcoming and I am ecstatic about the new position.  My husband and I look forward to becoming a part of the OC family"