Your future, our focus
By DAVID DICKEY
Powell Tribune Sports Editor
Flavia Siqueira, head volleyball coach at the College of the Southwest in Hobbs, N.M., has been hired to take over the helm of the Lady Trapper volleyball team, according to officials at Northwest College.
The announcement, which was made public Monday morning, ended a lengthy coaching search that started shortly after former head coach Sue Pollart was informed in March of 2007 that her contract with NWC would not be renewed.
During the initial search for a replacement, NWC's leading candidate, Brittany Uffelman, the head volleyball coach at Northwestern State University in Natchitoches, La., declined the college's job offer. The position was later filled on an interim basis during the fall of 2007 season by Jesseca Cross, a Powell High School graduate and former Olympian. She led the Lady Trappers to a 12-34 season.
"It's been a long and careful search as far as finding the right candidate to fill the position of head coach of Northwest College volleyball," said Jim Zeigler, NWC's athletic director. "We feel that Flavia is uniquely qualified for this position. She brings a great level of energy and passion for the game to the table, and we think she's a nice fit for Northwest College."
During the recently concluded 2007 slate, Siqueira's CSW Mustangs finished third in the Red River Conference. They also were ranked in the top 10 in their region.
Siqueira, a Brazilian native, found her way to the United States via Western Nebraska Community College in Scottsbluff. Siqueira joined the Cougars and helped them to third- and fourth-place national finishes.
After graduating from WNCC, Siqueira transferred to the University of Mary in Bismarck, N.D. While there, she was part of the Marauders first team to clinch a top 10 national ranking. Also during that year, the team won its conference title and finished second in its region.
While at WNCC and UM, she accumulated a long list of achievements, which included All-America and Academic All- America honors and numerous all-conference and all-regional designations.
Siqueira has a bachelor's degree in physical education and is scheduled to finish her master's degree in college teaching this spring at UM. Her minor is in coaching. Her coaching experience includes time as a graduate assistant coach for the junior varsity team at UM. Her first head coaching position was at CSW.
According to NWC officials, Siqueira will assume her new position at NWC in early spring and will immediately hit the recruiting trail in an effort to field.