Eastern Michigan Athletics
Volleyball
Olson, Kimi
Kimi Olson
- Title:
- Head Coach
- Email:
- kolson15@emich.edu
- Phone:
- 734.487.0291
Kimi Olson was named as the eighth Head Volleyball Coach at Eastern Michigan University, Feb. 19, 2015, by Vice President/Director of Intercollegiate Athletics Heather Lyke.
In four seasons at Eastern Michigan, Olson has compiled a 59-69 record.
The 2018 season saw the Eagles reach new heights as a program, as Eastern won its first Mid-American Conference Tournament Championship in program history. EMU entered as the No. 5 seed and after beating No. 8 Kent State, upset No. 4 Buffalo, No. 1 Bowling Green, and No. 2 Miami en route to its championship. The Green and White fell in the opening round of the tournament to the nation’s No. 3 ranked team, Illinois.
Redshirt junior Cassie Haut was named MAC Tournament Most Valuable Player as well as All-Tournament team, while seniors Jordan Smith and Alyssa LaFace earned spots on the All-Tournament team as well. LaFace would go on to become the first Eagle since 2002 to be named to the American Volleyball Coaches Association All-Region team, while also earning a spot on All-MAC First Team. Both Haut and Smith joined the libero on the conference’s first team. Setter Mallory Rajewski finished her career sixth in EMU laurels with 3,129 assists and just the fifth player to register over both 3,000 assists and 1,000 digs. Smith finishes fifth all-time in career kills with 1,341, and LaFace calls it a career with the fifth-most digs in program history with 1,673.
In 2017, the Eagles made the Mid-American Conference Tournament for the second time under Olson, winning its first round game against No. 5-ranked Buffalo. EMU finished in the top half of the conference in six categories, including leading the conference in blocks per set (2.46). Kelly Ferguson, who was named All-MAC Honorable Mention, finished second in the league with a .370 attack percentage, while Sam Falco also finished second with 1.18 blocks per set. Setter Mallory Rajewski climbed into the top 10 all-time in career assists, finishing her third season with 2,164 career helpers. Jordan Smith is approaching the rare feat of 1,000 kills and 1,000 digs, having 885 career kills and 706 career digs.
The 2016 campaign saw career seasons for multiple student-athletes under Olson’s leadership. Devon Murray notched a career-highs in kills with 226, and blocks with 50, which ranked second and third on the team, respectively. Jordan Smith also registered multiple career-highs, including double-doubles (8), kills (326), attacking percentage (.153), aces (18), digs (209), blocks (31), and points (362). Her kills total ranked eighth in the MAC and first on the team, while her point total was also a team-high. Mallory Rajewski also saw great success, as she climbed up to 12th all-time for EMU in assists, with a career tally of 1,273.
In Olson’s first season leading the Eagles, Cassie Haut and Corynne Smith received postseason honors. Haut was named to the MAC All-Freshman Team, while Smith reeled in All-MAC Honorable Mention recognition. The Green and White finished the season with a 14-16 overall record, including a 6-10 mark in Mid-American Conference play. EMU was bounced in the first round of the MAC Tournament, falling to No. 5 seed Western Michigan 3-2.
Olson owns 12 years of experience coaching and competing at the Division I level between the College of Charleston, University of Albany and the University of Southern California. A rising star in the collegiate volleyball coaching ranks and a tenacious recruiter of student-athletes, Olson was the 2013 recipient of the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) Thirty Under 30 award.
Olson brought a championship pedigree and a wealth of volleyball knowledge to Ypsilanti after working at one of the top mid-major programs in the country. In her five seasons, she helped the Cougars to two Southern Conference South Division championships and a tournament championship and NCAA tournament bid in 2012. She was also instrumental in CofC’s successful transition to the Colonial Athletic Association (CAA), culminating in a tournament championship in 2013. The 2014 squad claimed the 2014 CAA regular season title while also advancing to the league’s tournament championship game.
During her five-year stretch in The Holy City, the Cougars posted a 131-39 record and a 70-8 mark in conference play . As a group, they also managed a 90 percent conference win-rate, five conference championships and three appearances in the NCAA Tournament. Additionally, the 2012 squad advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament after the program’s first victory over a ranked team, defeating the No. 23 ranked Miami Hurricanes in five sets.
Olson arrived in Charleston following two years on staff at the University of Albany where she was responsible for recruiting. While there, she helped lead the Great Danes to a 45-18 overall record and 22-0 mark in the America East Conference over the course of those two seasons. Olson went to the NCAA Tournament with Albany in 2008.
In addition to her recent coaching responsibilities, Olson brings a tremendous amount of championship level playing experience following a four-year playing career at the University of Southern California.
As a freshman, she was a member of the Trojans’ 35-0 National Championship team, appearing in all 35 contests and averaging 4.50 assists. The following season she posted marks of 6.59 assists and 1.84 digs as the Trojans reached the NCAA Final Four. She was also named a co-captain for her final two seasons.
During her career, USC compiled a 102-22 overall record and an impressive 58-14 record in the highly competitive Pac-10 Conference.
One of Olson's passions is team culture and empowering student-athletes to reach maximum personal and team potential. She promotes team spirit through a unified vision of being a part of something greater than yourself with EMU Volleyball
#LINEITUP was introduced in 2018 to clearly define team values that will promote success in life and out of the gym from the second a player arrives on campus to the rest of her life. Coach Olson defines leadership as influence combined with an opportunity to change the trajectory away from average towards excellent.
Olson earned her bachelor’s degree in Kinesiology from Southern California in 2008.
A native of New Castle, Ind., Olson married Jon Olson in May of 2012 and the couple have two daughters, Riley and Sadie, and a son, Caleb.
In four seasons at Eastern Michigan, Olson has compiled a 59-69 record.
The 2018 season saw the Eagles reach new heights as a program, as Eastern won its first Mid-American Conference Tournament Championship in program history. EMU entered as the No. 5 seed and after beating No. 8 Kent State, upset No. 4 Buffalo, No. 1 Bowling Green, and No. 2 Miami en route to its championship. The Green and White fell in the opening round of the tournament to the nation’s No. 3 ranked team, Illinois.
Redshirt junior Cassie Haut was named MAC Tournament Most Valuable Player as well as All-Tournament team, while seniors Jordan Smith and Alyssa LaFace earned spots on the All-Tournament team as well. LaFace would go on to become the first Eagle since 2002 to be named to the American Volleyball Coaches Association All-Region team, while also earning a spot on All-MAC First Team. Both Haut and Smith joined the libero on the conference’s first team. Setter Mallory Rajewski finished her career sixth in EMU laurels with 3,129 assists and just the fifth player to register over both 3,000 assists and 1,000 digs. Smith finishes fifth all-time in career kills with 1,341, and LaFace calls it a career with the fifth-most digs in program history with 1,673.
In 2017, the Eagles made the Mid-American Conference Tournament for the second time under Olson, winning its first round game against No. 5-ranked Buffalo. EMU finished in the top half of the conference in six categories, including leading the conference in blocks per set (2.46). Kelly Ferguson, who was named All-MAC Honorable Mention, finished second in the league with a .370 attack percentage, while Sam Falco also finished second with 1.18 blocks per set. Setter Mallory Rajewski climbed into the top 10 all-time in career assists, finishing her third season with 2,164 career helpers. Jordan Smith is approaching the rare feat of 1,000 kills and 1,000 digs, having 885 career kills and 706 career digs.
The 2016 campaign saw career seasons for multiple student-athletes under Olson’s leadership. Devon Murray notched a career-highs in kills with 226, and blocks with 50, which ranked second and third on the team, respectively. Jordan Smith also registered multiple career-highs, including double-doubles (8), kills (326), attacking percentage (.153), aces (18), digs (209), blocks (31), and points (362). Her kills total ranked eighth in the MAC and first on the team, while her point total was also a team-high. Mallory Rajewski also saw great success, as she climbed up to 12th all-time for EMU in assists, with a career tally of 1,273.
In Olson’s first season leading the Eagles, Cassie Haut and Corynne Smith received postseason honors. Haut was named to the MAC All-Freshman Team, while Smith reeled in All-MAC Honorable Mention recognition. The Green and White finished the season with a 14-16 overall record, including a 6-10 mark in Mid-American Conference play. EMU was bounced in the first round of the MAC Tournament, falling to No. 5 seed Western Michigan 3-2.
Olson owns 12 years of experience coaching and competing at the Division I level between the College of Charleston, University of Albany and the University of Southern California. A rising star in the collegiate volleyball coaching ranks and a tenacious recruiter of student-athletes, Olson was the 2013 recipient of the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) Thirty Under 30 award.
Olson brought a championship pedigree and a wealth of volleyball knowledge to Ypsilanti after working at one of the top mid-major programs in the country. In her five seasons, she helped the Cougars to two Southern Conference South Division championships and a tournament championship and NCAA tournament bid in 2012. She was also instrumental in CofC’s successful transition to the Colonial Athletic Association (CAA), culminating in a tournament championship in 2013. The 2014 squad claimed the 2014 CAA regular season title while also advancing to the league’s tournament championship game.
During her five-year stretch in The Holy City, the Cougars posted a 131-39 record and a 70-8 mark in conference play . As a group, they also managed a 90 percent conference win-rate, five conference championships and three appearances in the NCAA Tournament. Additionally, the 2012 squad advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament after the program’s first victory over a ranked team, defeating the No. 23 ranked Miami Hurricanes in five sets.
Olson arrived in Charleston following two years on staff at the University of Albany where she was responsible for recruiting. While there, she helped lead the Great Danes to a 45-18 overall record and 22-0 mark in the America East Conference over the course of those two seasons. Olson went to the NCAA Tournament with Albany in 2008.
In addition to her recent coaching responsibilities, Olson brings a tremendous amount of championship level playing experience following a four-year playing career at the University of Southern California.
As a freshman, she was a member of the Trojans’ 35-0 National Championship team, appearing in all 35 contests and averaging 4.50 assists. The following season she posted marks of 6.59 assists and 1.84 digs as the Trojans reached the NCAA Final Four. She was also named a co-captain for her final two seasons.
During her career, USC compiled a 102-22 overall record and an impressive 58-14 record in the highly competitive Pac-10 Conference.
One of Olson's passions is team culture and empowering student-athletes to reach maximum personal and team potential. She promotes team spirit through a unified vision of being a part of something greater than yourself with EMU Volleyball
#LINEITUP was introduced in 2018 to clearly define team values that will promote success in life and out of the gym from the second a player arrives on campus to the rest of her life. Coach Olson defines leadership as influence combined with an opportunity to change the trajectory away from average towards excellent.
Olson earned her bachelor’s degree in Kinesiology from Southern California in 2008.
A native of New Castle, Ind., Olson married Jon Olson in May of 2012 and the couple have two daughters, Riley and Sadie, and a son, Caleb.
THE KIMI OLSON FILE
Name: Kimi Olson
College: University of Southern California, Bachelor's degree in Kineseology - 2008
Family: Husband - Jon; Daughters - Riley and Sadie; Son - Caleb
| COACHING EXPERIENCE | |||
| YEAR | SCHOOL | POSITION | RECORD |
| 2018 | EMU | Head Coach | 21-14 (9-7 MAC)* |
| 2017 | EMU | Head Coach | 16-18 (7-9 MAC) |
| 2016 | EMU | Head Coach | 8-21 (3-13 MAC) |
| 2015 | EMU | Head Coach | 14-16 (6-10 MAC) |
| 2010-15 | College of Charleston | Asst. Coach | |
| 2011-15 | College of Charleston | Director of Sand Volleyball Ops | |
| 2008-10 | University at Albany | Asst. Coach | |
| 2003-06 | USC | Student-Athlete | |
| *MAC Tournament Champions | |||
| TOTALS | 59-69 (25-39 MAC) / 4 years | ||
2025 EMU Volleyball Tournament Highlights
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