Kevin Rodgers was named head coach of the William Paterson volleyball program in August of 2021.
The 2024 season was filled with individual accolades and team achievements, highlighted by the Pioneers earning a spot in the NCAA Tournament for the first time in the program’s 54-year history.
Rodgers guided WP to its fourth New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) Tournament title, and first since 1991, following a 22-win campaign to mark the first consecutive 20-win seasons since 2009-10. The Pioneers additionally went a flawless 14-0 at home and tied the program record for NJAC wins in a season with seven, the most since 1989.
Under the guidance of the NJAC Coaching Staff of the Year, four Pioneers collected all-conference honors, including senior Paola Molina, who became the conference’s first back-to-back Defensive Player of the Year winner since 2015-16. Molina and graduate student Hope Arce-Reed were both named to the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) All-Region Team before Molina collected her second straight all-America nod.
During the 2023 campaign, Rodgers led the Pioneers to their first NJAC Tournament win and semifinal round appearance since 2009, on top of a showing in the Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) Tournament title match.
With Rodgers at the helm, WP finished with a 26-7 overall record and 5-3 mark in conference action. The Pioneers tied the single-season program record for wins, while recording the most NJAC victories in a campaign since 2009. Thirteen of the 26 wins came at home, marking the program's most victories at the Sports and Recreation Center since the 2008 season.
Four Pioneers garnered all-conference accolades under his tutelage in 2023, highlighted by Molina being named the program’s first-ever NJAC Defensive Player of the Year. Molina additionally went on to become the Pioneers’ first-ever selection to the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) All-District and All-America Teams.
For the team’s success in 2023, Rodgers and his staff earned the NJAC Co-Coaching Staff of the Year honor.
Rodgers arrived in Wayne by way of Fairleigh Dickinson University’s Division I Metropolitan Campus, where during the 2020-21 season, the Knights finished with the same number of wins as the previous year despite playing only a third of the matches. Under his watch, FDU improved in every statistical category from the previous season and registered a 3-0 victory over eventual NCAA Tournament participant Long Island University, marking the Knights’ first triumph over the Sharks in 21 seasons.
Before his stint at FDU, Rodgers was at the helm of the women’s volleyball program at East Stroudsburg University for three years (2017-20). During his first season leading the Warriors, Rodgers compiled 17 victories, which was ESU’s first winning campaign since 2006. Rodgers closed out his tenure at ESU by posting a 29-7 mark in 2019 and guiding the team to its first PSAC Championship and the automatic-qualifying spot in the NCAA Division II Tournament. For his efforts, Rodgers garnered PSAC Coach of the Year honors.
Prior to joining ESU, Rodgers served as the top assistant for Bucknell’s women’s program in 2016 where he was charged with developing the blockers and outside hitters while leading the Bisons’ recruiting efforts. He spent four seasons (2012-15) leading the men’s squad at Ramapo College, compiling an overall record of 83-57 and a 49-9 mark in conference play.
Rodgers also worked as the head girls' volleyball coach at Central Volleyball Academy from 2012-14, coaching eight future Division I players. The team was ranked fourth of 70 squads in the Garden Empire Volleyball Association in the 17s division in 2013, and second out of 49 teams in the 18s division the following year.
The Clifton, N.J., native began his coaching career at his alma mater, New Jersey City University, as an assistant with the men’s program before being elevated to head coach in January of 2012. With the Gothic Knights, Rodgers registered a 14-15 record and secured a spot in the Skyline Conference Tournament.
A 2010 graduate of NJCU with a bachelor’s degree in business administration, Rodgers was a four-year volleyball standout, racking up more than 1,250 kills and 1,000 digs. He currently ranks second all-time in kills (1,297) and fourth in digs (1,014). The Gothic Knights were 71-55 during his four years while making three postseason appearances, and Rodgers was a two-time All-NECVA Metro Division performer. Rodgers continued his education by obtaining a master’s in sports administration from FDU-Metro in 2015.
Rodgers’ WP Coaching Highlights
- 73 victories across three seasons (2021-24)
- One NCAA Tournament appearance (2024)
- Three NJAC Tournament berths
- One NJAC Tournament championship appearance (2024)
- One NJAC Tournament title (2024)
- One ECAC Tournament finals appearance (2023)
- Two-time NJAC Coaching Staff of the Year (2023, 2024)
- Two all-Americans
- Three all-region performers
- Two All-ECAC Team selections
- Two NJAC specialty award winner (two Defensive Player’s of the Year)
- Eleven all-NJAC honorees
- Eighteen spots on the Academic All-NJAC Team
- Six academic all-district selections
