Christy Utnage
Assistant Coach
Second Year
(Dayton, 2005)

    Now in her second season as an assistant coach with the Youngstown State volleyball program is Christy Utnage, the 2004 Atlantic-10 Conference Player of the Year.
    Utnage’s presence was felt immediately as the Penguins turned in a three-win improvement from the season prior to her arrival. Also, Ruth Boscaljon became the first Youngstown State player to earn All-Horizon League First-Team and Co-Newcomer of the Year since joining the circuit in 2001. She also mentored outside hitter Ebony Barbosa to a career-best 299 kills as a sophomore in 2006.
Utnage came to Youngstown State from the University of Dayton, where she was an undergraduate assistant in 2005.
    Utnage concluded a four-year career at Dayton with back-to-back Atlantic 10 Championships and the 2004 A-10 Player of the Year and Most Outstanding Player of the A-10 Championship Awards.
    Utnage led the Flyers to Atlantic-10 Tournament titles in both 2003 and 2004 and was an AVCA Honorable Mention All-America selection as a senior after ranking second in the A-10 with 496 kills.
She was also second in the A-10 in points scored while recording 21 double-doubles.
    The Indianapolis, Ind., native began her career on the A-10 All-Rookie Team but shined as a senior when she led UD in service aces and was named A-10 Player of the Week twice. Utnage had 18 kills and 19 digs in the A-10 Championship win over Xavier.
    As a junior, she helped Dayton to its first-ever A-10 Championship and led the team in service aces while ranking second in kills and digs.
Utnage concluded her career as just the fifth player in school history to record more than 1,000 kills and 1,000 digs. She ended her career ranked fifth all-time at UD with 1,191 digs and ninth with 1,115 kills. Utnage is also among the all-time leaders in attack attempts (fourth with 3,372) and service aces (eighth with 152).
    During her career, Utnage was also honored for her work in the classroom as she was named to the 2004 A-10 All-Academic Team and the 2004 CoSIDA District IV All-Academic Third-Team.
Utnage earned a bachelor’s degree in physical education in 2005 and coached at Dayton Juniors Volleyball Club 15s and 16s for 3 1/2 years.
    Prior to Dayton, Utnage led Indianapolis’ Roncalli High School to a State Title in 1998 and was named to the First Team All-State and All-Metro Teams four times.