Dave Ulrich joins the UIS volleyball staff as an assistant coach after previously serving on the coaching staff at St. Mary's University alongside head coach Laura Ulrich. He brings more than a decade of collegiate coaching experience, with a strong background in player development, scouting, and blocking systems.

"I'm incredibly excited to welcome Dave to our program as he brings a wealth of knowledge, experience, and an elite level of training," head coach Laura Ulrich said. "His passion for development and excellence will elevate the Prairie Stars program as we work to build UIS volleyball into a program of distinction. I'm grateful to add someone of Dave's caliber to our staff and excited for the impact he'll have on our student-athletes and our program."

Most recently, Ulrich spent four seasons at St. Mary's (2021-25), where he helped guide the Rattlers to three Lone Star Conference Tournament Quarterfinal appearances. During his tenure, the program saw significant growth at the net, consistently improving its blocking numbers and producing multiple all-conference and all-freshman honorees. St. Mary's ranked among the national leaders in kills per set, assists per set, and blocking during his time on staff.

Prior to St. Mary's, Ulrich served as an assistant coach at Texas Woman's University, where he worked primarily with middle blockers and blocking schemes, helping the Pioneers jump from last to second in the Lone Star Conference in blocks per set in one season. He has also held head coaching positions at King University and Randall University, where he led major program turnarounds and earned regional and national coaching honors. 

Ulrich will assist with all areas of the Prairie Stars' program, including recruiting, player development, scouting, and day-to-day operations.