Chrissy Elder begins her ninth season as the Head Coach for the University of Colorado Colorado Springs volleyball program in 2021 after seven consecutive RMAC Tournament appearances for the Mountain Lions.
In a COVID-abbreviated season in 2020-21, the Mountain Lions competed in 14 matches during the spring of 2021. UCCS closed the 2020-21 regular season with a 4-10 record and a 4-7 mark in RMAC matches and finished ninth in the league standings. Due to a COVID testing and protocol situation with an RMAC team that qualified for the RMAC tournament, the Mountain Lions were able to move into the No. 8 seed position for the conference tournament where they faced top seed and No. 2 ranked CMU in the quarterfinal round (L, 3-0). Ten Mountain Lions were named to the RMAC All-Academic Honor Roll: Hannah Ammerman, Maren Burkhart, Emily Ettel, Julia Geiger, Jordyn Kinsey, Madison McIntosh, Courtney Rodocker, Josie Russell, Lauryn Shockley and Jenna Szilagyi. Following the season, Shockley was tabbed to the All-RMAC Second Team.
During the 2019 season, Elder recorded her 100th career win with a 3-2 victory over Colorado Christian University on Oct. 25. Elder and the Mountain Lions finished the season with a 10-17 overall record and were 8-10 in RMAC matches. The Mountain Lions received the No. 8 seed in the RMAC Tournament before falling to nationally ranked No. 5 and the top seed Regis Rangers in the RMAC quarterfinal round. Senior Grace Nelson was voted to the Academic All-District 6 Team, the All-RMAC Second Team and the RMAC All-Academic First Team. Joining Nelson on the RMAC All-Academic Team were Honor Roll members: Hannah Ammerman, Lauren Brown, Anabela Cagen, Raelynn Edge, Jordyn Kinsey, Hagan Marozas, Aly Morgan, Josie Russell, and Taylor Smith.
In her sixth season at the helm for UCCS, Elder and the Mountain Lions finished the 2018 season with a 12-16 overall record and a 10-8 league mark to earn the No. 7 seed in the RMAC Tournament. After falling in their first three conference matches of the season, the Mountain Lions bounced back to win seven of their next eight matches, five of which were a clean 3-0 sweep. Senior Alyssa Brinton garnered All-RMAC First Team accolades on the court, while seven Mountain Lion received RMAC All-Academic accolades: Alyssa Brinton, Anabela Cagen, Jordyn Kinsey, Aly Morgan, Grace Nelson, Josie Russell and Taylor Smith.
Elder guided the Mountains Lions to a No. 5 seed in the conference tournament with a 15-12 overall record in 2017. The record was backed by a nearly perfect record of 11-2 at home which included a sweep of nationally ranked #12 Wayne State.This season also featured five Mountain Lions who were named to the All-RMAC team, as well as five players named to the RMAC all-academic team. One of those players being Taylor Hamilton who became only the second player in program history to be named an All-American.
In 2016, UCCS posted their best record since 2009 at 18-10, which led to the third seed in the RMAC tournament. Elder and the Mountain Lions topped off the season with a semi-final appearance in the conference tournament. UCCS finished with five Mountain Lions named to the All-RMAC team, while also having six players named to the RMAC All-Academic team.
UCCS qualified as the No. 6 seed in its 10th conference tournament appearance. The Mountain Lions won six straight matches during the season and featured the first American Volleyball Coaches Association All-Region student-athlete in Kim Catlett. The team also earned AVCA All-Academic honors for the second straight season.
Elder coached a young team with 10 freshmen in 2014, and the Mountain Lions advanced to the RMAC Tournament for the first time since 2012 after a seventh-place finish in the regular season. She coached All-RMAC student-athletes Catlett and Cassidy Bush who both return for the 2015 season.
Elder came to UCCS from the University of Central Missouri where she was a member of a coaching staff that led the Jennies to the NCAA Division II national semifinals in 2010 and the national quarterfinals in 2011. She joined the staff in 2007 as an assistant coach before she was promoted to Head Assistant Coach in 2009. She went 122-22 as the top assistant coach for the Jennies.
Prior to joining the staff at Central Missouri, Elder was the interim head coach for the University of Missouri-Kansas City. She joined the Kangaroo staff as a graduate assistant coach in 2005.
Elder finished her collegiate playing career at Pittsburg State University, where she also doubled as a student assistant coach for the Gorillas in her senior season. She was an All-American and All-Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association setter and helped Pittsburg State advance to the national tournament. Elder also spent three seasons at the University of Missouri.
In 2005, Elder earned her bachelor’s degree in recreation and fitness management from Pittsburg State, and in 2008, she went on to earn her master’s degree from UMKC. She also coached the Star Aquilla teams for three seasons for the OZ Volleyball Club in Overland Park, Kan.
