Volleyball Announces Hiring of Lenika Vazquez as Associate Head Coach

NEWARK, Del. - University of Delaware volleyball has announced the hiring of Lenika Vazquez as Associate Head Coach, effective on June 1, 2025.

"I am very pleased to welcome Lenika to our Blue Hen family," head coach Kimberly Lambert said. "She brings an incredible amount of experience and her philosophies align extremely well with our standard. Her passion and eagerness to continue to grow in the game is infectious. She will be an amazing mentor and resource for our program."

Vazquez comes to Delaware after spending five seasons as the head coach at Northeastern, where she won 55 games and led the program to four CAA Tournament appearances. Under Vazquez's guidance, Northeastern had eight All-Conference honorees - three First-Team and five Second-Team selections - as well as four All-Rookie team selections. Notably, she coached Samantha Shupe to a Setter of the Year honor in spring of 2021. In 2022, Northeastern won 10 conference games for the first time since 2017. The Huskies were also strong academically, having received the AVCA Team Academic Award.

"I'm incredibly excited to join the UD staff as the Associate Head Coach," Vazquez said. "I'm looking forward to contributing to a competitive, high-energy, and fun environment. Huge thanks to Kim for this amazing opportunity. I can't wait to get started with the Blue Hens!"

Before her tenure at Northeastern, Vazquez was the head coach of Canisius for four seasons. Vazquez orchestrated an impressive rebuild that saw the Golden Griffins win at least 15 games in back-to-back seasons in 2018 and 2019, the first time Canisius did so since 2011 and 2012, and led the Golden Griffins to consecutive second-place finishes in the MAAC. She mentored the 2018 MAAC Libero of the Year and was able to coach and develop six MAAC All-Rookie Team selections in three years. Canisius also had three First-Team MAAC selections and five Second-Team selections. Additionally, she founded the Building Champions Project, connecting student-athletes with local schools to foster community relationships.

Prior to Canisius, Vazquez was an assistant coach at Butler from 2012-2015 during one of the program's most successful periods. She helped the Bulldogs to consecutive 20-win seasons, had an All-American Honorable Mention, three All-East Region selections, and four All-Conference honors. The 12 conference wins in 2014 are the second most in program history.

Vazquez has also spent time as a head coach at Chicago State and was an assistant coach at South Suburban College and Southern Illinois. Additionally, she co-founded Illiana Explosive Volleyball Club. As a player at Southern Illinois, she was a four-year defensive specialist and helped the Salukis to a 19-win season and a third place finish in the Missouri Valley Conference in 1998.

Delaware finished the 2024 season with a .741 winning percentage, the sixth best in program history. It is the fourth time Delaware recorded at least a .700 winning percentage in back-to-back seasons in program history (also done from 2009-2010, 2006-2007, and 1976-1977). The Blue Hens won at least 20 games in a season for the second-straight year. It is the first time Delaware has won at least 20 matches in two-straight years since doing so in three straight seasons from 2009-2011. Delaware will compete as a member of Conference USA starting in the fall.

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University of Delaware Athletics

Volleyball Announces Hiring of Lenika Vazquez as Associate Head Coach

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