In a move to continue serving and impacting the student-athletes and their experiences at Black Hills State University, Director of Athletics Padraic McMeel has announced the hiring of Kristin Carmichael as the new Assistant Athletics Director for Student-Athlete Success and Senior Woman Administrator (SWA).

The Assistant Athletics Director for Student-Athlete Success is a newly created position and will serve on the Director of Athletics Administrative leadership team.

In this role, Carmichael will focus on supporting the well-being and experiences of all BHSU student-athletes including Title IX oversight and education, academic support and liaison to various units on camps including Academic Advising, Housing, etc., create mental health training and education as well as serve as an advocate for female athletes and women's sports.

"Deciding to step away from the volleyball program after being a part of it in some way for the last 17 years was very difficult," said Carmichael. "Yellow Jacket volleyball, and specifically the players, will always have a very special place in my heart. I have had the best experiences as a student-athlete and athletics staff member at BHSU, and I'm so excited to be able to work with all student-athletes to help them excel and enjoy their time in Green and Gold. I'm looking forward to a new challenge at the place I call home."

Carmichael has served as the Head Volleyball Coach at BHSU since 2014, is a three-time NAIA All-American for the Yellow Jackets and can be found in the Yellow Jacket volleyball record book 20 different times.

Following her playing career, Carmichael served as the graduate assistant for the Yellow Jackets before moving into the assistant coach position and then ultimately the head coach role.

"I am beyond delighted that Kristin has decided to serve in this new role to provide increased support for our over 300 student-athletes and the Athletics Department as a whole." Stated McMeel. "Kristin exemplifies what it means to be a Yellow Jacket, having been a student-athlete and a coach here at BHSU. She has positively impacted young women as our Volleyball Coach, and now she can have that same impact on all of our student-athletes and serve as an advocate for our female student-athletes and women's sports."

With the change in Head Volleyball Coach, McMeel has appointed current Volleyball Assistant Coach Bree Davis as the Interim Head Volleyball Coach for the 2022 season.

"I want to thank both Padraic and Kristin for trusting me to step into this position," said Davis. "I fell in love with this school, town, and program the moment I arrived a year ago and I am eager and excited to get started and look forward to a great year ahead."

Davis joined the Yellow Jackets as Assistant Volleyball Coach in June 2021 after serving as Graduate Assistant Coach at Southern Arkansas University from 2019 to 2021 and as a volunteer assistant coach at Northern Arizona University in 2019.

"Coach Davis has hit the ground running since the day she stepped foot on campus and has been a tremendous addition to Coach Carmichael's staff and the volleyball program," McMeel said. "I am excited for Coach Davis to serve as our coach and continue taking the BHSU Volleyball program to new heights."

In addition, former BHSU Volleyball player Jessy Hibl will serve as Interim Assistant Coach. Hibl played from 2015-19 and has served as a volunteer assistant coach the last two years.