New CMU volleyball coach Arielle Wilson (center) poses with Zyselewski Family Vice President/Director of Athletics Amy Folan (left) and CMU President Dr. Neil MacKinnon on Tuesday during Wilson's introduction at the Chippewa Champions Center.
Photo by: Lauren Verellen '26 - @laurenverellen_photography
Feature Story: Wilson Lays Out Ambitious Goals for Volleyball Program
1/15/2025 9:37:00 AM | Volleyball, Our Stories
Arielle Wilson: "We will produce winning teams, postseason appearances, and confident young women ready to impact the world."
MOUNT PLEASANT, Mich. – The resumé is sterling. The message direct.
"My philosophy centers around developing women who will pursue excellence in all areas of their lives – in the classroom, on the court, and also in the community and in life after sports," said new Central Michigan volleyball coach Arielle Wilson. "We will produce winning teams, postseason appearances, and confident young women ready to impact the world."
Wilson, named to head the program on Jan. 6, was introduced on Tuesday during a 30-minute ceremony in the Chippewa Champions Center Franckowiak Atrium.
"My vision for CMU volleyball is to create a championship culture that is challenging and the student-athletes will have a positive and memorable experience," Wilson said. "I want to be a coach who values my players no matter what, no matter the role they play, and I want to recognize them for who they are above what they do."
Wilson served as an assistant for nine season as four universities, most recently Missouri (2023-24). As a player, she was a three-time All-American at Penn State and a four-time NCAA national champion. She played for the USA Volleyball National Team in 2011 and '13 and started her coaching career as an assistant at DePaul in 2016.
She played professionally for six seasons in Europe and in Asia.
"Everywhere she's been she's elevated the programs that she has been a part of it," Zyzelewski Family Vice President/Director of Athletics Amy Folan said. "She is known as a phenomenal recruiter. Because of her care and genuineness as a human being, student-athletes want to play for her because of how she cares for them and that brings the best – the best talent, the best people and we know that's a good fit here at CMU."
Wilson takes over a Chippewa program that in 2024 put together its best season in 41 years with a 24-7 overall mark and a 15-3 (second place) finish in the Mid-American Conference.
Five times in her nine seasons as an assistant did Wilson's teams appear in the NCAA Tournament. In 2024, the Broadview, Ill. native helped lead Missouri to the Sweet Sixteen.
"Your temperament, your drive, and your talent is the perfect fit for our program," CMU President Dr. Neil MacKinnon said in addressing Wilson directly during Tuesday's event. "She represents the hard-working Midwestern ideals that we value, and I know that she will be embraced by our entire university community."
Wilson said she was sold on CMU after meeting with the likes of Folan and MacKinnon along with her soon-to-be players.
"The people are what make a place really special," she said. "We're in a great location, we're close to a lot of big cities and it's the volleyball piece of it. The conference is amazing; it's high-level volleyball. … With our team having success, I don't think it's a fluke. It's just making sure we continue to play at a high level all the time."
Wilson is very well aware that recruiting is the lifeblood of any successful program. That is job No. 1, as she sees it.
"Part of that is knowing that the state of Michigan knows we're here and everybody else in the world knows we're here," she said. "Looking to see if we can get international players as well and build those connections with transfers. Whoever wants to come, let's go."
Wilson is the sixth coach since the program's inception in 1974 and its first female leader since Elaine Piha led the Chippewas from 1998-2003.
"It empowers me to know that I'm building up the next generation," she said. "My philosophy is always to help these women improve so that they can go out in the world and be great. I'm always going to build up everybody."
In light of the Chippewas' recent success, Wilson was the perfect pick to take the wheel, Folan said.
"The most important qualities that have gotten (the team) there is their culture and their care for each other," she said. "We found the right coach because she has that and then some. We found that she was a players' coach; players rave about her, they love playing for her, they have learned and developed under her.
"With all these factors there's one quality that really stood out to me about coach Arielle: She always finds a way to overcome and be successful despite the odds. … Time and time again she has proven that she has that."
"My philosophy centers around developing women who will pursue excellence in all areas of their lives – in the classroom, on the court, and also in the community and in life after sports," said new Central Michigan volleyball coach Arielle Wilson. "We will produce winning teams, postseason appearances, and confident young women ready to impact the world."
Wilson, named to head the program on Jan. 6, was introduced on Tuesday during a 30-minute ceremony in the Chippewa Champions Center Franckowiak Atrium.
"My vision for CMU volleyball is to create a championship culture that is challenging and the student-athletes will have a positive and memorable experience," Wilson said. "I want to be a coach who values my players no matter what, no matter the role they play, and I want to recognize them for who they are above what they do."
Wilson served as an assistant for nine season as four universities, most recently Missouri (2023-24). As a player, she was a three-time All-American at Penn State and a four-time NCAA national champion. She played for the USA Volleyball National Team in 2011 and '13 and started her coaching career as an assistant at DePaul in 2016.
She played professionally for six seasons in Europe and in Asia.
"Everywhere she's been she's elevated the programs that she has been a part of it," Zyzelewski Family Vice President/Director of Athletics Amy Folan said. "She is known as a phenomenal recruiter. Because of her care and genuineness as a human being, student-athletes want to play for her because of how she cares for them and that brings the best – the best talent, the best people and we know that's a good fit here at CMU."
Wilson takes over a Chippewa program that in 2024 put together its best season in 41 years with a 24-7 overall mark and a 15-3 (second place) finish in the Mid-American Conference.
Five times in her nine seasons as an assistant did Wilson's teams appear in the NCAA Tournament. In 2024, the Broadview, Ill. native helped lead Missouri to the Sweet Sixteen.
"Your temperament, your drive, and your talent is the perfect fit for our program," CMU President Dr. Neil MacKinnon said in addressing Wilson directly during Tuesday's event. "She represents the hard-working Midwestern ideals that we value, and I know that she will be embraced by our entire university community."
Wilson said she was sold on CMU after meeting with the likes of Folan and MacKinnon along with her soon-to-be players.
"The people are what make a place really special," she said. "We're in a great location, we're close to a lot of big cities and it's the volleyball piece of it. The conference is amazing; it's high-level volleyball. … With our team having success, I don't think it's a fluke. It's just making sure we continue to play at a high level all the time."
Wilson is very well aware that recruiting is the lifeblood of any successful program. That is job No. 1, as she sees it.
"Part of that is knowing that the state of Michigan knows we're here and everybody else in the world knows we're here," she said. "Looking to see if we can get international players as well and build those connections with transfers. Whoever wants to come, let's go."
Wilson is the sixth coach since the program's inception in 1974 and its first female leader since Elaine Piha led the Chippewas from 1998-2003.
"It empowers me to know that I'm building up the next generation," she said. "My philosophy is always to help these women improve so that they can go out in the world and be great. I'm always going to build up everybody."
In light of the Chippewas' recent success, Wilson was the perfect pick to take the wheel, Folan said.
"The most important qualities that have gotten (the team) there is their culture and their care for each other," she said. "We found the right coach because she has that and then some. We found that she was a players' coach; players rave about her, they love playing for her, they have learned and developed under her.
"With all these factors there's one quality that really stood out to me about coach Arielle: She always finds a way to overcome and be successful despite the odds. … Time and time again she has proven that she has that."
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