San Diego State volleyball head coach Brent Hilliard announced the hiring of Kristen Gengenbacher as assistant coach and recruiting coordinator for the Aztec program on June 6, 2024.
Gengenbacher is no stranger to the local volleyball scene, earning four varsity letters from 2014-17 as a star setter at the University of San Diego, where she played for Hilliard during his previous tenure as the Toreros’ associate head coach.
"We are extremely excited to welcome Kristen to the Aztec family,” Hilliard said. “After speaking with her at the beginning of the interview process, it was obvious that she would be the perfect fit for our program. Kristen has played the game at some of the highest levels nationally. She is a former Division I All-American setter who will provide great knowledge for this particular position.
“Kristen’s coaching background also has her primed for the collegiate level, and she is an excellent communicator, which is key for our athletes. I am extremely grateful that she has decided to make San Diego State her home, and I know she will make our players, supporters and alumni very proud."
A highly decorated player at USD, Gengenbacher dished out 3,729 assists for her career, which ranks third in program history. As a senior, she garnered West Coast Conference Player of the Year accolades and received third-team AVCA All-America recognition after leading the Toreros to the WCC championship and a second-round appearance in the NCAA Tournament.
In addition, Gengenbacher merited all-WCC honorable mention following her sophomore and junior campaigns after earning a spot on the WCC all-freshman team in 2014.
Following her stint with the Toreros, Gengenbacher played one season of beach volleyball at the University of Washington, where she served as team captain and led the Huskies with 13 dual victories while qualifying for a spot in the USAV Collegiate Championships.
Gengenbacher also gained valuable international experience as a member of the U.S. National Collegiate Team that toured Europe in the summer of 2017.
"I am incredibly thankful and excited to be back in San Diego as a part of the Aztec volleyball program,” Gengenbacher said. “We’re looking forward to a great season and I can't wait to get started."
Gengenbacher received her bachelor's degree in communications from San Diego in 2018 before earning her master’s in intercollegiate athletic leadership from Washington in 2019.
Upon completing her collegiate studies, Gengenbacher played professionally with the Porfyras volleyball club in Piraeus, Greece, from August 2019 to March 2020.
Most recently, Gengenbacher served as head coach of the 18-1 squad at the 540 Volleyball Academy in Fredericksburg, Virginia, preparing a vast array of elite club performers to excel at the collegiate level.
Prior to her move to the east coast, Gengenbacher spent one season as an assistant coach with the indoor and beach volleyball programs at MiraCosta College in Oceanside during the 2021-22 campaign, which overlapped a two-year stint in the same capacity with the WAVE Volleyball Club in Del Mar.
A native of Quincy, Illinois, Gengenbacher helped her prep team Notre Dame High School capture the Illinois Class 2A state championship as a sophomore. She also lettered in basketball and softball as a prep.
Gengenbacher is no stranger to the local volleyball scene, earning four varsity letters from 2014-17 as a star setter at the University of San Diego, where she played for Hilliard during his previous tenure as the Toreros’ associate head coach.
"We are extremely excited to welcome Kristen to the Aztec family,” Hilliard said. “After speaking with her at the beginning of the interview process, it was obvious that she would be the perfect fit for our program. Kristen has played the game at some of the highest levels nationally. She is a former Division I All-American setter who will provide great knowledge for this particular position.
“Kristen’s coaching background also has her primed for the collegiate level, and she is an excellent communicator, which is key for our athletes. I am extremely grateful that she has decided to make San Diego State her home, and I know she will make our players, supporters and alumni very proud."
A highly decorated player at USD, Gengenbacher dished out 3,729 assists for her career, which ranks third in program history. As a senior, she garnered West Coast Conference Player of the Year accolades and received third-team AVCA All-America recognition after leading the Toreros to the WCC championship and a second-round appearance in the NCAA Tournament.
In addition, Gengenbacher merited all-WCC honorable mention following her sophomore and junior campaigns after earning a spot on the WCC all-freshman team in 2014.
Following her stint with the Toreros, Gengenbacher played one season of beach volleyball at the University of Washington, where she served as team captain and led the Huskies with 13 dual victories while qualifying for a spot in the USAV Collegiate Championships.
Gengenbacher also gained valuable international experience as a member of the U.S. National Collegiate Team that toured Europe in the summer of 2017.
"I am incredibly thankful and excited to be back in San Diego as a part of the Aztec volleyball program,” Gengenbacher said. “We’re looking forward to a great season and I can't wait to get started."
Gengenbacher received her bachelor's degree in communications from San Diego in 2018 before earning her master’s in intercollegiate athletic leadership from Washington in 2019.
Upon completing her collegiate studies, Gengenbacher played professionally with the Porfyras volleyball club in Piraeus, Greece, from August 2019 to March 2020.
Most recently, Gengenbacher served as head coach of the 18-1 squad at the 540 Volleyball Academy in Fredericksburg, Virginia, preparing a vast array of elite club performers to excel at the collegiate level.
Prior to her move to the east coast, Gengenbacher spent one season as an assistant coach with the indoor and beach volleyball programs at MiraCosta College in Oceanside during the 2021-22 campaign, which overlapped a two-year stint in the same capacity with the WAVE Volleyball Club in Del Mar.
A native of Quincy, Illinois, Gengenbacher helped her prep team Notre Dame High School capture the Illinois Class 2A state championship as a sophomore. She also lettered in basketball and softball as a prep.