The W announced on Monday that it has hired coach Donna Day, a veteran coach of 17 years, as the next leader of its volleyball program.
Day, who has 12 years of experience as a head coach at the NCAA Division I and Division II levels, is the program’s fifth head coach and replaces Breylee Linder, who led the team for two seasons before resigning in May.
“We are so blessed to have Coach Day join The W Athletics family,” MUW athletic director Buddy Foster said. “She brings a great breadth of experience, leadership and enthusiasm to the position. To be able to attract a head coach with her coaching pedigree is a tremendous plus for our student-athletes – current and future – and is something not enjoyed by too many programs at our level. We are excited to see where she can take Owls volleyball.”
Day comes to the Owls from Division I Southern Illinois University-Carbondale where she served as the assistant coach for three seasons. Before that stop, Day spent six years, two as an assistant, at Division I Niagara University where she helped the team make the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference tournament in each of her four years as head coach
“I am honored to join Mississippi University for Women as the next head volleyball coach,” Day said. “I would like to thank athletic director Buddy Foster, vice president for student affairs Jessica Harpole and everyone involved in the search process for the opportunity to lead this program.”
Day started her coaching career in volleyball in 2004 as an intern with the USA’s Olympic volleyball team as a part of the organization’s High Performance Program and helped the squad train ahead of the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens, Greece.
Day is a 2002 Cleveland State University graduate with a Bachelor of Science degree in Middle Childhood Education and she also earned her Master of Education from CSU in 2004.
“From my first conversations with the administration, it was clear that The W is a special place with a strong commitment to its student-athletes,” Day said. “I am excited to get to know our players, build meaningful relationships on campus and within the community, and create a championship culture built on hard work, accountability and genuine care for one another. I can’t wait to get to Columbus and begin this journey with our team and the entire Owls family.”
The W volleyball team opens the 2026 season on Sept. 4 against Rhodes College in Lookout Mountain, Georgia, at the Covenant College Classic.
Volleyball is one of the four athletic programs at The W to have a coaching change this year. Stewart Mena took over men’s soccer in January, and Dean Burrows was promoted to assistant athletic director of MUW athletics after spending three years as the head men’s basketball coach. He was replaced by Bernard Hopkins in May. Women’s soccer is also currently looking for its next head coach after Ana Ramos stepped down to pursue opportunities closer to her home state of Texas.
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