Eastern Michigan Athletics
Volleyball
Berrington, Kim
Kim Berrington
- Title:
- Head Coach
- Email:
- Kim.Berrington@emich.edu
- Phone:
- 734.487.0291
Kim Berrington will start her 19th season as head coach of the Eastern Michigan University volleyball team when the Eagles open the 2014 season.
Berrington has been a permanent fixture in the consistent success of the EMU volleyball program. In fact, Berrington is the third-longest tenured head coach at the university.
The seventh coach in the program’s history, Berrington became its winningest coach on Sept. 20, 2003, as the Eagles posted a victory over East Carolina in the Coastal Carolina Tournament. The victory was Berrington’s 110th win at the helm of the EMU program. During her tenure as head coach, Berrington has posted an overall record of 269-260 and a 132-151 mark in conference play.
In 13 of the last 14 seasons, she has led the Eagles to the MAC Tournament, with the 1999 campaign marking the first time the squad has played in the postseason event since the 1990 season. Her teams have also led the MAC in digs in nine of the last 15 seasons, including ranking nationally in seven of those campaigns.
Despite their struggles during the conference schedule in 2013, Berrington coached her team to finishing with a weekend sweep to end the regular season, earning her squad a spot in the 2013 MAC Volleyball Tournament. The Eagles did not stop their streak at two, winning the first two matches of the tournament, earning a spot in the championship match for the first time since the 2007 season.
In 2012, Berrington saw one of the most decorated players to ever take the court at Eastern graduate and sign a contract to play overseas. Rachel Iaquaniello set EMU career records for kills and attack attempts, while being the second Eagle to be named to the All-MAC First Team in three consecutive seasons. Under the tutelage of Berrington, Iaquaniello was able to sign a professional contract with Linz-Steg, a team which competes out of Austria.
In 2010, Berrington guided EMU to the largest turnaround in school history, a 19-game improvement from five wins in 2009 to 24 victories in 2010. The previous standard of a 12-game turnaround came during the 1990 campaign, when the Eagles went from 18 victories to 30 wins, and again in 2001, when EMU went from seven wins to 19.
The Eagles relied heavily on underclassmen for the dramatic turnaround, with freshmen and sophomores accounting for 75.6 percent of the squad’s kills, 60.3 percent of its blocks and 71.2 percent of its points in 2010.
In 2008, Berrington picked up her 200th EMU victory with a 3-0 victory over the University at Buffalo, Oct. 25, and the 300th win of her distinguished career with a sweep of the University of Toledo, Sept. 26, 2008. She currently holds sole possession of fifth place in the MAC record books for the most victories at a league institution, trailing Bowling Green State University’s Denise Van De Walle who holds the league record for most wins with 527 during her 28 years coaching the Falcons.
In the classroom, Berrington’s squads perennially have one of the top team cumulative grade point averages in the conference and have earned the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) Academic Award on 12 separate occasions, which ranks fifth most nationally. This past semester the volleyball team earned one of the top GPA’s among EMU squads with a 3.572.
In 2007, the Green and White wrapped up the campaign with a 20-14 overall record and an 8-8 mark in conference play. The record was a seven-game improvement over the team’s 2006 mark when EMU finished at 13-17. Also, with a MAC Tournament Quarterfinal upset victory over No. 2 Western Michigan, the Eagles reached the 20-win plateau for the ninth time in the program’s history.
In 2005, Berrington guided the Eagles to a 22-7 overall record and a 14-2 Mid-American Conference mark en route to the program’s first-ever MAC West Division Championship. The Green and White’s 14 league wins were the most in program history. Leading the West Division from wire-to-wire in the regular season, Eastern Michigan was the second most dominant team in the MAC, winning 13 out of its last 15 matches to end the season.
Prior to taking over the role as head coach, Berrington served as an assistant coach at EMU from 1987-92. She was also the head women’s volleyball coach at Concordia (Mich.) College for four seasons, from 1992-96.
In four years as the head coach at Concordia, Berrington turned the women’s volleyball team into a national power. During those years, she built up a 103-76 overall record. Her 1995 team earned the school’s first national ranking and was the runner-up in the NCCAA National Championship Tournament in the school’s first-ever appearance. She also served as Concordia’s sports information director. Berrington was named Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference Coach of the Year the last three years, after leading her team to the conference championship her final two seasons at the helm.
Berrington now has a career coaching record of 370-339 in 22 seasons.
Berrington is a 1985 graduate of the University of South Carolina, where she earned a bachelor of arts degree from the College of Journalism. While at South Carolina, Berrington won four varsity volleyball letters and was one of 11 players awarded the Metro Conference Medallion for excellence in athletics and academics.
She earned her master’s of science in physical education from EMU in 1992. A native of Pittsburgh, Pa., and a graduate of Norwin Senior High School in North Huntingdon, Pa., she earned three letters and helped the team win three state titles.
As the assistant women’s volleyball coach at EMU from 1987-92, Berrington helped the team to a 91-53 record. Eastern was invited to its first-ever National Invitational Volleyball Tournament in 1990 and the team finished second in the Mid-American Conference twice and qualified for the league’s postseason tournament four times.
Berrington played beach volleyball for more than 20 years while winning open tournaments in three decades (`80s, `90s and 2000). She played on the Midwest Professional Volleyball Association (MPVA) tour since its inception in 1991.
Berrington and beach volleyball partner, former EMU assistant coach Sara Schaub, captured more than 20 tournament titles together playing on various tours and events including the Association of Volleyball Professionals (AVP) qualifiers, Bud Light Tour, East End Volleyball and Extreme Volleyball Professionals (EVP). In 2008, she officially retired from professional play.
Berrington and her husband, Chuck, reside in Britton, Mich., with their daughter, Kelsey (20), who plays volleyball for Valparaiso University.
Berrington By the Numbers
305 – Wins at EMU (winningest coach in program history)
24 - All-MAC Selections (12 First Team; 9 Second Team; 5 Honorable Mention)
15 - Teams that have advanced the Mid-American Conference Tournament
15 - MAC Academic Selections
11 - CoSIDA Academic All-District selections
10 - Consecutive AVCA Academic Awards (2004-2014)
6 - MAC All-Freshman honorees
1 - Highest GPA in the nation during the 1997-98 season
1 - MAC West Division title in 2005
1 - Defensive Player of the Year (Haley Stein in 2011)
1 - Setter of the Year (Kate Sulewski in 2007)
Berrington In the MAC Record Book
Third-longest tenured head coach in MAC history (Miami's Carolyn Condit 30 years; BGSU's Denise Van De Walle 28 years)
Ranks 4th in MAC history with 147 MAC Wins
Ranks 4th in MAC history with 305 Overall Victories
Berrington has been a permanent fixture in the consistent success of the EMU volleyball program. In fact, Berrington is the third-longest tenured head coach at the university.
The seventh coach in the program’s history, Berrington became its winningest coach on Sept. 20, 2003, as the Eagles posted a victory over East Carolina in the Coastal Carolina Tournament. The victory was Berrington’s 110th win at the helm of the EMU program. During her tenure as head coach, Berrington has posted an overall record of 269-260 and a 132-151 mark in conference play.
In 13 of the last 14 seasons, she has led the Eagles to the MAC Tournament, with the 1999 campaign marking the first time the squad has played in the postseason event since the 1990 season. Her teams have also led the MAC in digs in nine of the last 15 seasons, including ranking nationally in seven of those campaigns.
Despite their struggles during the conference schedule in 2013, Berrington coached her team to finishing with a weekend sweep to end the regular season, earning her squad a spot in the 2013 MAC Volleyball Tournament. The Eagles did not stop their streak at two, winning the first two matches of the tournament, earning a spot in the championship match for the first time since the 2007 season.
In 2012, Berrington saw one of the most decorated players to ever take the court at Eastern graduate and sign a contract to play overseas. Rachel Iaquaniello set EMU career records for kills and attack attempts, while being the second Eagle to be named to the All-MAC First Team in three consecutive seasons. Under the tutelage of Berrington, Iaquaniello was able to sign a professional contract with Linz-Steg, a team which competes out of Austria.
In 2010, Berrington guided EMU to the largest turnaround in school history, a 19-game improvement from five wins in 2009 to 24 victories in 2010. The previous standard of a 12-game turnaround came during the 1990 campaign, when the Eagles went from 18 victories to 30 wins, and again in 2001, when EMU went from seven wins to 19.
The Eagles relied heavily on underclassmen for the dramatic turnaround, with freshmen and sophomores accounting for 75.6 percent of the squad’s kills, 60.3 percent of its blocks and 71.2 percent of its points in 2010.
In 2008, Berrington picked up her 200th EMU victory with a 3-0 victory over the University at Buffalo, Oct. 25, and the 300th win of her distinguished career with a sweep of the University of Toledo, Sept. 26, 2008. She currently holds sole possession of fifth place in the MAC record books for the most victories at a league institution, trailing Bowling Green State University’s Denise Van De Walle who holds the league record for most wins with 527 during her 28 years coaching the Falcons.
In the classroom, Berrington’s squads perennially have one of the top team cumulative grade point averages in the conference and have earned the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) Academic Award on 12 separate occasions, which ranks fifth most nationally. This past semester the volleyball team earned one of the top GPA’s among EMU squads with a 3.572.
In 2007, the Green and White wrapped up the campaign with a 20-14 overall record and an 8-8 mark in conference play. The record was a seven-game improvement over the team’s 2006 mark when EMU finished at 13-17. Also, with a MAC Tournament Quarterfinal upset victory over No. 2 Western Michigan, the Eagles reached the 20-win plateau for the ninth time in the program’s history.
In 2005, Berrington guided the Eagles to a 22-7 overall record and a 14-2 Mid-American Conference mark en route to the program’s first-ever MAC West Division Championship. The Green and White’s 14 league wins were the most in program history. Leading the West Division from wire-to-wire in the regular season, Eastern Michigan was the second most dominant team in the MAC, winning 13 out of its last 15 matches to end the season.
Prior to taking over the role as head coach, Berrington served as an assistant coach at EMU from 1987-92. She was also the head women’s volleyball coach at Concordia (Mich.) College for four seasons, from 1992-96.
In four years as the head coach at Concordia, Berrington turned the women’s volleyball team into a national power. During those years, she built up a 103-76 overall record. Her 1995 team earned the school’s first national ranking and was the runner-up in the NCCAA National Championship Tournament in the school’s first-ever appearance. She also served as Concordia’s sports information director. Berrington was named Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference Coach of the Year the last three years, after leading her team to the conference championship her final two seasons at the helm.
Berrington now has a career coaching record of 370-339 in 22 seasons.
Berrington is a 1985 graduate of the University of South Carolina, where she earned a bachelor of arts degree from the College of Journalism. While at South Carolina, Berrington won four varsity volleyball letters and was one of 11 players awarded the Metro Conference Medallion for excellence in athletics and academics.
She earned her master’s of science in physical education from EMU in 1992. A native of Pittsburgh, Pa., and a graduate of Norwin Senior High School in North Huntingdon, Pa., she earned three letters and helped the team win three state titles.
As the assistant women’s volleyball coach at EMU from 1987-92, Berrington helped the team to a 91-53 record. Eastern was invited to its first-ever National Invitational Volleyball Tournament in 1990 and the team finished second in the Mid-American Conference twice and qualified for the league’s postseason tournament four times.
Berrington played beach volleyball for more than 20 years while winning open tournaments in three decades (`80s, `90s and 2000). She played on the Midwest Professional Volleyball Association (MPVA) tour since its inception in 1991.
Berrington and beach volleyball partner, former EMU assistant coach Sara Schaub, captured more than 20 tournament titles together playing on various tours and events including the Association of Volleyball Professionals (AVP) qualifiers, Bud Light Tour, East End Volleyball and Extreme Volleyball Professionals (EVP). In 2008, she officially retired from professional play.
Berrington and her husband, Chuck, reside in Britton, Mich., with their daughter, Kelsey (20), who plays volleyball for Valparaiso University.
| The Kim Berrington File | |
| Name: | Kim Berrington |
| College: | University of South Carolina - Bachelor's degree in journalism- 1985 |
| Eastern Michigan University - Master's degree in physical education - 1992 | |
| Family: | Husband - Chuck; Daughter - Kelsey |
| Coaching Experience | ||||||||
| Year | School | Overall Record | Pct. | MAC Record | Pct. | Finish | MAC Tourn. | MAC Title |
| 2014 | Eastern Michigan | 18-13 | .581 | 9-7 | .562 | t-3rd West | 0-1 | |
| 2013 | Eastern Michigan | 18-16 | .529 | 6-10 | .375 | 5th West | 2-1 | |
| 2012 | Eastern Michigan | 18-15 | .545 | 8-8 | .500 | 4th West | 0-1 | |
| 2011 | Eastern Michigan | 21-11 | .656 | 9-7 | .562 | 4th West | 0-1 | |
| 2010 | Eastern Michigan | 24-11 | .686 | 10-6 | .625 | 4th West | 1-1 | |
| 2009 | Eastern Michigan | 5-28 | .152 | 4-12 | .250 | 6th West | 0-1 | |
| 2008 | Eastern Michigan | 10-22 | .312 | 4-12 | .250 | 6th West | 0-1 | |
| 2007 | Eastern Michigan | 20-14 | .588 | 8-8 | .500 | 3rd West | 2-1 | |
| 2006 | Eastern Michigan | 13-17 | .433 | 6-10 | .375 | t-5th West | 1-1 | |
| 2005 | Eastern Michigan | 22-7 | .759 | 14-2 | .875 | 1st West | 1-1 | West Division |
| 2004 | Eastern Michigan | 16-13 | .552 | 10-6 | .625 | 3rd West | 1-1 | |
| 2003 | Eastern Michigan | 21-12 | .636 | 8-8 | .500 | t-3rd West | 1-1 | |
| 2002 | Eastern Michigan | 27-7 | .794 | 13-5 | .722 | 2nd West | 1-1 | |
| 2001 | Eastern Michigan | 19-10 | .655 | 11-7 | .611 | 5th West | 0-1 | |
| 2000 | Eastern Michigan | 7-23 | .233 | 5-13 | .278 | 5th West | DNQ | |
| 1999 | Eastern Michigan | 20-12 | .625 | 10-8 | .556 | 3rd West | 0-1 | |
| 1998 | Eastern Michigan | 11-19 | .367 | 7-11 | .389 | 5th West | DNQ | |
| 1997 | Eastern Michigan | 8-18 | .308 | 4-12 | .250 | 5th West | DNQ | |
| 1996 | Eastern Michigan | 7-21 | .250 | 1-16 | .059 | 10th | DNQ | |
| Eastern Michigan Record: | 305-289 | .513 | 147-168 | .467 | ||||
| Concordia Record: | 103-76 | .575 | ||||||
| Career Coaching Record: | 408-365 | .528 | ||||||
Berrington By the Numbers
305 – Wins at EMU (winningest coach in program history)
24 - All-MAC Selections (12 First Team; 9 Second Team; 5 Honorable Mention)
15 - Teams that have advanced the Mid-American Conference Tournament
15 - MAC Academic Selections
11 - CoSIDA Academic All-District selections
10 - Consecutive AVCA Academic Awards (2004-2014)
6 - MAC All-Freshman honorees
1 - Highest GPA in the nation during the 1997-98 season
1 - MAC West Division title in 2005
1 - Defensive Player of the Year (Haley Stein in 2011)
1 - Setter of the Year (Kate Sulewski in 2007)
Berrington In the MAC Record Book
Third-longest tenured head coach in MAC history (Miami's Carolyn Condit 30 years; BGSU's Denise Van De Walle 28 years)
Ranks 4th in MAC history with 147 MAC Wins
Ranks 4th in MAC history with 305 Overall Victories
Volleyball Highlights vs. Valparaiso
Saturday, September 06
Volleyball Highlights vs. Purdue Fort Wayne
Friday, September 05
Script Eastern Volleyball Jerseys Reveal
Thursday, September 04
1 more sleep!😴🏐
Thursday, August 28
