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Career Record: 574-304 | Duke Record: 371-164

At Duke (1999-Present): The fifth head volleyball coach in school history, Jolene Nagel is in her 17th season at the helm of the Duke volleyball program after joining the Blue Devil staff in 1999.

Under her guidance, Duke has earned a reputation as one of the elite programs on the East Coast. Nagel has led the Blue Devils to 12 NCAA Tournament appearances over the past 15 seasons, including an ACC-record seven consecutive trips to the postseason event from 2005-11. A perennial contender in the ACC, Duke has recorded 20 or more wins in 13 of Nagel’s 17 campaigns and consistently finishes among the top three in the conference. Nagel has guided the Blue Devils to four ACC regular season championships, an overall record of 371-164 and an ACC record of 225-95. The winningest Duke volleyball coach on record, she also ranks among the league coaching leaders in overall winning percentage, ACC winning percentage, ACC wins and NCAA Tournament appearances.

The Blue Devils finished 2015 with a 17-13 (12-8 ACC) record, while senior outside hitter Emily Sklar picked up her third All-America accolade. Jordan Tucker and Sasha Karelov joined Sklar in All-ACC distinction and Leah Meyer earned a spot on the All-ACC Freshman Team. Duke finished the 2015 campaign averaging 14.46 kills per set to rank third in the ACC and 11th nationally in addition to averaging an ACC-best 17.59 digs per frame. 

The 2014 season was no exception in a long line of sucessful campaigns under Nagel. Duke posted a 22-8 overall record and advanced to the NCAA Tournament for the 19th time in program history. Senior Kelsey Williams earned inaugural ACC Setter of the Year honors and joined teammates Jeme Obeime and Emily Sklar in AVCA All-America honorable mention distinction.

In 2013, the Blue Devils earned the No. 16 national seed and hosted the opening rounds of the tournament for the fifth time in program history. Duke clinched the ACC title and the league’s automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament with a thrilling five-set victory over rival North Carolina in the regular season finale. Nagel garnered her fourth ACC Coach of the Year honor, while guiding Emily Sklar and Ali McCurdy to ACC Player of the Year and ACC Defensive Player of the Year honors, respectively.

Nagel garnered her third ACC Coach of the Year and East Region Coach of the Year awards in 2010 as Duke won its third ACC Championship and advanced to the NCAA Regional Final for the first time in program history. One of the top postseason performances in school history, Duke was awarded the No. 12 national seed in the 2010 NCAA Tournament after posting a 24-6 overall record and owning the No. 13 spot in the national RPI.

The Blue Devils continued to churn out 20-plus win seasons from 2005-09, advancing to the NCAA Tournament in each of those campaigns. During that span Duke placed eight players on both the All-ACC and AVCA All-East Region teams while seven Blue Devils earned All-America honors, including 2007 ACC Player of the Year Carrie DeMange.

Duke’s 29 wins in 2006 established a new standard under Nagel, marking the fourth-highest single-season win total in school history. The Blue Devils’ 21 ACC victories set a new conference record for most wins in a season as Duke took home its eighth ACC Championship title in school history. Nagel was named the ACC Coach of the Year, while Ali Hausfeld earned Player of the Year honors and Rachael Moss was named the league’s Freshman of the Year as Duke became the first school in league history to sweep all three superlatives in the same season. Duke finished the season ranked No. 22 in the final CSTV/AVCA Division I Top 25 Coaches Poll after making its first appearance in the poll since 1994.

In 2001, Nagel’s third season in Durham, she took home her first ACC Coach of the Year honors after guiding the Blue Devils to a 23-5 record and the ACC regular season championship. She led Duke to the second round of the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 1994.

In addition to its athletic success, Duke has built a sterling academic reputation, honored with the AVCA Team Academic Award in nine of the past 10 seasons. Over the past four seasons, nearly every member of the team has held a GPA over 3.00 for the entire academic year, while at least four Duke players have earned a spot on the All-ACC Academic Volleyball Team every year since the award was first instituted in 2006.

Georgetown (1992-98): Prior to her arrival at Duke, Nagel served as head volleyball coach at Georgetown University, where she guided the Hoyas to their most successful season in program history in 1998. Georgetown, the top-ranked team in District I that season, captured its first share of a Big East Championship with a 24-6 overall record and a 10-1 conference mark to earn its first NCAA Tournament bid. Georgetown swept both Big East Rookie of the Year and Big East Player of the Year accolades while three of Nagel’s players earned all-conference accolades. Overall, Nagel spent seven seasons with the Hoyas, posting a 118-100 record during in her time at Georgetown.

Cornell (1988-91): Nagel’s head coaching resume began a four-year stint at Cornell University in the Ivy League during which she led the program to its first Ivy League title in 1991, the first of three-straight for the Big Red. While at Cornell, Nagel amassed an 85-40 mark and a 23-5 conference record. The Big Red finished first in the Ivy League three consecutive years from 1989-91, including two perfect 7-0 marks in conference action.

Nagel was named the 1991 Ithaca Journal Coach of the Year during her final season at Cornell. Her 85 wins and .680 winning percentage still rank second behind Andrea Dutcher, the first-ever volleyball coach at Cornell.

Early Years: Nagel began her coaching career in 1983 as a graduate assistant at Kent State University following graduation from Edinboro University. In 1985 she accepted a position as first assistant coach at the University of North Carolina and spent three seasons in Chapel Hill before moving to on to Cornell in 1988.

One of the most decorated players in Edinboro history, Nagel was inducted into the school’s hall of fame in 1997. A three-year starter from 1980-1982, she helped lead the Scots to three state and regional championships and three appearances in the national championship (one NCAA and two AIAW). A team captain, Nagel led her Edinboro squads to a 116-43 record, won three Eastern Regional Championships during her playing career and earned three All-Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference honors.

Prior to her college career at Edinboro, Nagel was a standout at Chautauqua County’s Panama Central where her stellar prep career and even more impressive coaching resume earned her a spot in the Chautauqua Sports Hall of Fame in 2007.
Nagel holds a bachelor’s degree in education from Edinboro and a master’s degree in sports administration from Kent State.

Extended Coaching Experience: Nagel is an active member of the AVCA and currently serves as a voter for the AVCA’s Top 25 Coaches Poll. She has also served as coordinator for the All-East Region team and a voter for the AVCA All-American team. Nagel previously voted on the AVCA Tachikara coaches Top 25 Poll from 1992-98.
Nagel’s involvement with the sport of volleyball goes well beyond the collegiate ranks. Since 1979, she has instructed and taught at various camps and clinics, including the 1998, 1999 and 2000 NCAA YES Clinics. In 1994, Nagel served as the Columbia Comets Volleyball Club head coach, leading the team to the 18 & Under East Coast Championship.

Nagel’s coaching resume also includes a head coaching stint with the 1995 East Women’s team at the U.S. Olympic Festival in Colorado, where she led the team to a bronze medal finish. She also served as an assistant venue coordinator for the 1987 U.S. Olympic Festival and a zone coordinator and assistant coach in 1989 and 1990 at the U.S. Olympic Festivals.

Nagel and her husband, Samuel Carpenter, reside in Durham, N.C., with their sons, Cameron (CJ) and Tyler.