Head Coach Julie Yankus enters her 15th season at the helm of SEMO Volleyball in 2025. After a 19-14 regular season finish, and a 15-3 record in OVC play, Yankus has compiled a 228-207 overall record and a 142-102 OVC record in 15 seasons.
In 2024, Yankus coached three All-OVC players in Abby Johnson, Lucy Arndt and Nina Schuberth.Schuberth & Arndt both return in 2025. Schuberth was named the 2024 Ohio Valley Conference Defensive Player of the Year, marking the third-straight season with a Redhawk to win the award.
SEMO Volleyball captured its 11th OVC Regular Season Title in program history, the second under Yankus, which is the most in OVC history. The Redhawks were the tournament host and #1-seed for the 2024 OVC Volleyball Championship Tournament.
The Redhawks took part in postseason play in the National Invitational Volleyball Championship (NIVC) for the first time in program history. SEMO Volleyball took on Georgia Southern, losing 3-0 in the first round of the tournament.
Under Yankus, the Redhawks have won two OVC Tournament Championships (2019 & 2021) and Regular season titles (2021 & 2024). She has been named OVC Coach of the Year once in her career (2021).
The Redhawks have now competed in the Ohio Valley Conference Tournament in 13 of Yankus’ 14 seasons. She has mentored 29 All-OVC Team selections, three OVC DPOY selections (Tara Beilsmith 2x, Nina Schuberth), and one OVC Freshman of the Year (Lucy Arndt).
In 2023, Yankus led the Redhawks to the fourth OVC championship finals appearance in five years, but fell to the No. 1 seed and host, Eastern Illinois in three-sets (21-25, 16-25, 20-25). SEMO has now registered 10 or more OVC wins in each of the last five seasons and 14 or more overall wins in each of the last six season.
Freshman Lucy Arndt became the first freshman since 2000 to be voted as the Ohio Valley Conference Fresman of the Year by the league's head coahces. Arndt becomes just the second freshman to win the award and the first under Yankus.
Senior libero Tara Beilsmith became the all-time leader in the Ohio Valley Conference in digs under Yankus in 2023. Beilsmith, who started with the Redhawks in 2019, set the all-time record in the conference with 2,663 digs in a match against Tennesee State. Beilsmith would go on to become third all-time in NCAA Volleyball history, finishing her season and career with 3,035 digs under Yankus.
In 2022, Yankus led the Redhawks to the third OVC championship finals appearance in four years, but came up short to #6 Tennessee State in five sets (21-25, 25-16, 25-22, 22-25, 10-15). The Redhawks have registered 10 or more OVC wins in each of the last four seasons and 14 or more overall wins in each of the last five seasons.
In the first round the No. 5-seeded Redhawks overcame #4 Eastern Illinois in five sets (25-23, 27-25, 17-25, 26-28, 15-9), before upsetting top seed, host, and 2022 Ohio Valley Conference Regular-Season Champions, UT Martin, in five sets (13-25, 25-19, 22-25, 25-22, 15-11).
Yankus coached two all-OVC players in 2022. Zoey Beasley and Tara Beilsmith were named to the 2021 All-OVC Tournament Team. Beilsmith was also named OVC Defensive player of the week seven times and was awarded 2022 OVC Defensive player of the year. Both were named to the all-tournament team.
In 2021, Yankus led the Redhawks to their second 20-plus win campaign in three seasons. SEMO has now surpassed 20 wins three times under the leadership of Yankus.
The Redhawks finished the 2021 season with a mark of 26-8 including a 14-4 record in OVC competitions which matched its league win mark from the 2020-21 season. SEMO's 26 overall wins in 2021 is the highest win total since 28 in 1999 (28-6).
The Redhawks have finished with double-digit conference wins in each of the past three seasons.
SEMO secured a share of the 2021 Ohio Valley Conference Regular-Season title and the top seed in the 2021 OVC Championship Tournament with a series sweep of Morehead State in the final week of the regular season. The title was SEMO's 10th OVC Regular-Season title in program history and first since 2007. SEMO tallied five regular-season sweeps of OVC opponents and nine 3-0 victories in 2021.
As the top seed and host, the Redhawks secured the 2021 OVC Tournament Championship with a five-set decision (25-22, 25-23, 19-25, 15-25, 15-13) over #2 Morehead State Nov. 20 at Houck Field House. With the victory, the Redhawks won their second OVC Tournament Championship in three seasons and seventh in program history. Southeast Missouri also won the regular-season and the tournament title in the same season for the first time since 2000.
SEMO swept #8 Eastern Illinois in the First Round of the 2021 OVC Tournament, 25-13, 25-15, 25-18, before besting #5 Murray State in four sets (22-25, 25-18, 25-15, 26-24) in the Semifinals.
As OVC Tournament Champions, SEMO represented the conference in the First Round of the 2021 NCAA Women's Volleyball Championship. The Redhawks fell to #7-seed Kentucky in three sets to conclude their historic season.
Yankus coached five All-OVC Players in 2021. Laney Malloy, Colby Greene, and Claire Ochs were named to the 2021 All-OVC Tournament Team. Ochs was also tabbed the 2021 OVC Tournament MVP.
Laney Malloy, Zoey Beasley, and Claire Ochs were also named to the 2021 All-OVC First Team while Tara Beilsmith was selected to the 2021 All-OVC Second Team. Malloy was also tabbed the OVC Player of the Year while Ochs earned OVC Setter of the Year. Yankus was awarded OVC Coach of the Year.
SEMO's four All-OVC selections matched the 2019 season when the Redhawks had two on both the first and second teams. The Redhawks last had three All-OVC First Team honorees in 1999 with Angie Aschoff, Krista Haukap, and Amy Henken.
Malloy is the sixth OVC Player of the Year at SEMO and first since Krista Haukap in 2000. Ochs is the first-ever Redhawk to earn OVC Setter of the Year while Yankus is SEMO’s sixth OVC Coach of the Year.
Yankus coached four OVC Players of the Week in 2021 in Beilsmith (four-time OVC Defensive Player of the Week), Ochs (four-time OVC Setter of the Week), Beasley (three-time OVC Offensive Player of the Week) and Malloy (four-time OVC Offensive Player of the Week). Malloy was also named the Sports Imports/AVCA Division I National Player of the Week once in 2021.
Malloy was named Southeast Missouri’s first-ever American Volleyball Coaches Association All-American in 2021, earning Honorable Mention laurels. She also garnered AVCA Midwest All-Region Honorable Mention honors after she paced the Redhawks with 506 kills (3.98 kills/set) on a .223 hitting percentage with 572.0 total points to go along with 39 aces.
In the SEMO record books (25-point rally scoring era, 2008 to present), Malloy ranks first for kills (506 in 2021 and 1,428 in career) and attack attempts (1,491 in 2021 and 4,581 in career) in both a single season and for a career at SEMO. She also is first overall for single-season aces (47 in 2019) and second for career aces (134).
Ochs surpassed 4,000 assists in her career as a Redhawk in 2021 and ranks second all-time in SEMO program history with 4,236. She notched 1,317 assists in her final season at SEMO which puts her second in the record books for a single season.
Beilsmith led SEMO with a career best 660 digs (5.20 digs/set) in 2021 which broke her own Southeast Missouri single-season record (25-point rally scoring era from 2008 to present).
During the 2020-21 season, Yankus led SEMO to its fourth-straight OVC Tournament appearance. The Redhawks finished with a 14-3 overall record. SEMO posted a 14-2 record in OVC play for third in the league and the no. 3 seed at the 2020-21 OVC Championship Tournament. SEMO's 14 league wins in 2020-21 are the most in the past 13 seasons as the 2007 SEMO team finished with a mark of 15-5.
After dropping their opening weekend at Jacksonville State, SEMO went on a 14-match win streak with seven series victories over Eastern Kentucky, Belmont, SIUE, UT Martin, Austin Peay, Eastern Illinois and Murray State.
The Redhawks' OVC winning percentage of .875 was the highest since 2000, when SEMO was perfect in league play, 16-0 (1.000). SEMO last finished an OVC slate with a record of 14-2 in 1995.
Senior outside hitter Laney Malloy and junior setter Claire Ochs were both named to the 2020-21 All-OVC First-Team. Ochs was also selected to the 2020-21 OVC Championship All-Tournament Team for the second-straight season.
Yankus coached three OVC weekly award winners during the 2020-21 season in Ally Dion (Defensive), Laney Malloy (Offensive) and Tara Beilsmith (Defensive).
In 2019, Yankus led the Redhawks (23-11, 12-4 OVC) to their first OVC Tournament Championship since 2006 and sixth overall in school history. The team matched the 2000 Southeast Missouri team that totaled 23 wins (23-9, 16-0 OVC). As the second seed, the Redhawks overcame #7 Tennessee Tech (3-1), #3 Murray State (3-2) and #4 Morehead State (3-0) en route to the Championship.
Laney Malloy, Mikayla Kuhlmann and Claire Ochs were each named to the 2019 OVC All-Tournament Team. Ochs was selected as the tournament MVP. The trio are the first Redhawks awarded OVC All-Tournament Team honors since Colleen Yarber garnered the distinction in 2012.
Yankus also coached four All-OVC players in 2019 in middle blocker Maggie Adams (First), outside hitter Laney Malloy (First), setter Claire Ochs (Second) and libero Tara Beilsmith (Second). SEMO last had four selections to the All-OVC Team in 1999 when Angie Aschoff, Krista Haukap, Amy Henken and Lea Beckenmeyer earned the nod.
Maggie Adams (two-time Defensive), Claire Ochs (Setter) and Tara Beilsmith (Defensive and Newcomer) combined for five OVC weekly honors in 2019. Beilsmith was named the OVC Defensive and Newcomer of the Week after the final week of the regular season.
As OVC Tournament Champions, SEMO represented the conference in the First Round of the 2019 NCAA Women's Volleyball Championship. The Redhawks fell to #9-seed Kentucky in three sets to conclude their historic season.
Yankus led the 2018 Redhawks to a fifth-place finish in the OVC while earning her 100th career win on the bench, a 3-2 victory over Murray State on September 22. Southeast Missouri started the season with five straight victories which matched the start of the 1986 SEMO team that finished 37-9. In 2018, SEMO registered its highest win total (16) and conference win total (8) in the past five seasons.
Yankus coached three OVC weekly award winners in Claire Ochs (Newcomer), Laney Malloy (Newcomer) and Annie Wehrheim (Newcomer and Offensive) in 2018. Wehrheim and Haley Bilbruck both earned Second-Team All-OVC honors for their seasons at SEMO.
In 2017, she coached Krissa Gearring who was one of 27 NCAA Division I volleyball players and one of two players in the OVC to reach 1,000 career kills and 1,000 career digs. Yankus also coached Haley Bilbruck who became the first player in SEMO program history to attend a USA Volleyball Tryout (March 2-4, 2018) at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colorado.
In 2012, her second season at the helm of the Redhawks, Yankus guided the Redhawks to an OVC West Division crown. The Redhawks finished 21-13 overall with a 12-4 record in conference play. 2012’s record was the best record by SEMO since the 2007 season. Southeast Missouri was picked third in the preseason poll and finished the season first in the West Division and qualified for the OVC Tournament.
Yankus mentored former Redhawk Emily Coon for three of Coon’s four years at SEMO. Coon was an All-OVC performer in each of her four seasons at Southeast Missouri. Coon, along with her teammate Colleen Yarber, eclipsed the 1,000-kill mark during their senior season. Fellow teammates Berkley Idel and Julie Shives also reached significant milestones their senior season. Idel, a libero, recorded over 1,500 career digs while Shives, a setter, reached 4,500 assists in her four-year career.
Yankus recruited Missouri native Taylor Masterson to Southeast Missouri after Masterson spent a redshirt season at the University of Alabama. Masterson picked up OVC All-Newcomer Team accolades after a breakout rookie season in 2012. Masterson, a middle blocker, earned All-OVC honors as a junior in 2014. Masterson helped mentor rookie middle blocker Nzingha Clarke in 2014. Clarke followed in Masterson’s footsteps en route to OVC All-Newcomer Team honors after leading the league in blocking as a freshman and All-OVC Team honors as a sophomore.
Academically, Yankus’ teams have garnered American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) Academic Honors each of her 11 seasons. During the 2013-14 academic year, the Redhawks volleyball team boasted a 3.39 team cumulative GPA. Most notably, former Redhawk Paige Dossey garnered Third Team Capital One Academic All-America status in 2011.
The Redhawks have won a few tournaments under Yankus including tournaments at Iowa and Butler in 2012, Mississippi State in 2013 and Troy in 2018. In 2012, SEMO defeated Iowa for the first victory over a Big 10 team since 2002 as well as a win over South Florida, the first time SEMO defeated a Big East team since 1998. SEMO also knocked off SEC opponent Mississippi State in 2013. The Redhawks nearly defeated Mississippi State again in 2014 but fell in the final points in the fifth set at the Indiana University Tournament.
Yankus guided the Redhawks to their first OVC Tournament berth since 2008 in the 2011 season, her first year at SEMO.
Yankus came to Southeast Missouri after serving as associate head coach for five seasons at Southern Illinois University in Carbondale, Illinois.
Yankus began her time at Southern Illinois in 2006. She served as recruiting coordinator for the Salukis during her time at Southern Illinois. Yankus also served as the coordinator of the team’s defense, as well as coach of the outside and rightside hitters where she coached four-time All-Missouri Valley Conference player Jennifer Berwanger.
Yankus was also in charge of scouting, equipment, team travel, and video breakdown and analysis. She also served as manager of home match management at SIU.
Prior to SIU, Yankus spent two seasons at Georgia State in Atlanta serving as the top assistant coach for the Panthers. At Georgia State, Yankus coached the outside hitters and handled team travel, tape exchange and equipment. Yankus also assisted in the recruiting, scouting and practice planning. While at Georgia State, Yankus earned her master’s degree in Sports Administration.
Yankus is a 2002 graduate of the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee where she earned her bachelor’s degree in Business Administration with a focus in Finance and Human Resource Management.
During her time at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Yankus was a steady performer for the Panthers volleyball team from 1998-2001. During Yankus’ time she was part of the most winning class in school history going 93-23 in her four seasons with the Panthers. Yankus also excelled in the classroom being named to the Horizon League All-Academic Team in 1999 and 2001.
Yankus is a native of Waukesha, Wisconsin. She attended Catholic Memorial High School and was a standout volleyball player leading her team to a WISAA State Championship her senior season. Yankus was also part of the Milwaukee Sting Club Volleyball Club from 1996-1998.
