TicketsAug. 10, 2007
Myanna Hellsten may be new to the Bearcats' sideline, but she is no stranger to the UC program. The former four-year starter joins the Cincinnati staff as an assistant for the 2007 season.
After four outstanding seasons playing for Reed Sunahara, Hellsten will join her former coach on the sidelines beginning this fall. As a staff member, Hellsten will plan all of the team's travel, assist with recruiting and work with the players on the court, particularly the middle blockers.
While the assignment to the UC staff is Hellsten's first full-time coaching position, she has gained experience on the club and youth levels in recent years. Following her junior year of competition as a player at UC, Hellsten assisted Sunahara with his coaching duties for the Team Z club team in Cincinnati. She led her own Team Z squad in the spring of 2007. In addition, Hellsten has worked many of UC's youth camps and coached a third and fourth grade team for two years.
During her playing career, Hellsten excelled both on and off the court. As a middle blocker, Hellsten was the Conference USA Freshman of the Year in 2003 and a two-time all-conference selection. She concluded her career as the only UC player ever to accumulate 1,000 career kills and 500 career blocks. As a Bearcat, she was one of the program's top middle blockers ever, playing alongside former standout Rachel Torblaa and then current star Jessie Nevitt.
Away from volleyball, Hellsten was a two-time BIG EAST Academic All-Star Team honoree and was the recipient of the Helen Norman Smith Award, honoring the top graduating senior at UC in 2007. She earned her undergraduate degree in human ecology in June 2007.