Start Date: January 2023
Kandace Cook comes to William Woods with more than six years of assistant coaching experience in the NAIA level and eight years of head coaching experience outside of the collegiate level.
“We are pleased to welcome Kandace to our athletic department and University,” stated Gastineau. “She brings local recruiting and coaching experience and a knowledge of AMC volleyball. We look forward to watching our volleyball program grow under her leadership.”
Most recently, Cook served as the assistant coach for Columbia College for three seasons. She helped lead the program to a 75-27 overall record, and she was tabbed the American Midwest Conference (AMC) Assistant Coach of the Year for two straight years (2021, 2022). In the 2022 season, she helped the Cougars to a 10-0 conference mark. They fell in the quarterfinal round of the NAIA National Championship to University of Jamestown, the eventual 2022 National Champion.
Prior to joining the CC staff, Cook served as the assistant coach for Stephens College for two seasons (2018, 2019).
Outside of the collegiate coaching game, she is also the Beach Volleyball Club Director and Coach for the Alpha Omega Beach Volleyball Academy in Columbia, the Head Volleyball Coach for Calvary Lutheran High School in Jefferson City, a Head Club Volleyball Coach for the 417 Columbia Juniors in Columbia and a Volleyball Scout/Recruiter for the National Scouting Report.
Cook is a graduate from Stephens College. She played two years of NAIA volleyball for the Stars while earning her Bachelor of Science in Biology with an emphasis in health sciences.
