March 22, 2011

LAWRENCE, Kan. -

Former Georgia Tech standout Laura Kuhn has been named a volleyball assistant coach for the University of Kansas it was announced by head coach Ray Bechard Tuesday.

A four-year letterwinner at Georgia Tech from 2001-2004, Kuhn comes to Kansas after spending three years as an assistant at the University of Miami from 2008-10. She has also made coaching stops as an assistant coach at Appalachian State and Florida State.

"Laura is a great addition to the Kansas volleyball program," said Bechard. "She combines an infectious personality with a tremendous passion for the sport. There has a noticeable presence about her and she has a real knack for recruiting."

"We are thrilled to get somebody who we think represents a terrific role model for our female student-athletes and a great role model for female coaches. Laura is somebody who has played at high level, played in the NCAA Tournament and coached in the NCAA Tournament and she knows what you have to do be at that level."

While on staff with the Hurricanes, UM advanced to the NCAA Tournament two of the three seasons (2009 & 2010) Kuhn was on staff. It marked the second and third tournament berths since the program was brought back in 2001.

At Miami, Kuhn, affectionately known as `Bird,' was instrumental in coaching outside hitter Lane Carico, who became the program's first-ever AVCA All-American in 2010. One season earlier, Carico and Cassie Loessberg were named honorable mention All-Americans under Kuhn's guidance.

In 2008, she helped in the Hurricanes posting their best overall record (26-6) since 2002, and the best Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) record in school history going 14-6 in league play. Defensively, the Hurricanes posted the highest digs total (1,958) for a single-season in 2008, while also registering the highest digs per set count in UM history (16.88).

Kuhn arrived at Miami after a stint as assistant coach at FSU during the 2008 spring season. Prior to her time at Florida State, Kuhn was an assistant at Appalachian State. In 2007 with the Mountaineers, Kuhn coached the Southern Conference Player of the Year, Brittany Zahn, and worked under Matt Ginipro, who was the SoCon Coach of the Year after Appalachian State finished 14-2.

"I am excited about competing in the Big 12 and the challenges and the new roles I will have at Kansas. And being the recruiting coordinator is a great opportunity, that's what I love about my job," said Kuhn. "The people I met at Kansas are what sold it for me. The tradition and the energy and the support that I felt for the program really attracted me to the job."

During her four years playing at Georgia Tech, the Yellow Jackets won three ACC regular season championships, one ACC tournament title and advanced to the NCAA Tournament in each of her four seasons playing. The teams advanced to the "Sweet 16" and "Elite Eight" in 2003 and 2004, respectively. Kuhn played the right side position her final three years at Georgia Tech, starting all three seasons.

A native of Tiffin, Ohio, Kuhn was a two-sport standout athlete at Calvert High School, where she excelled at both volleyball and basketball. While in high school, Kuhn earned Junior Olympic All-America honors for the Toledo Volleyball Club in 2000.

Kuhn earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Management from Georgia Tech in 2005.