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Yang Deng

  • Title
    Head Coach
  • Email
    ydeng@stetson.edu
  • Phone
    (386) 822-8102
  • Twitter
    @dengyvb
  • Alma Mater, Year
    Columbia College, 2002
  • Year at Stetson
    9th Year
Yang Deng, a former NAIA National Player of the Year and 17-year coaching veteran at the University of Missouri, is in her ninth season as head indoor volleyball coach at Stetson University.

In her first nine seasons, the Hatters have had seven ASUN Players of the Week, eight ASUN Defensive Players of the Week, and eight ASUN Freshmen of the Week.  

2024 was a tough year for the Hatters, as they had injuries to both of their setters resulting in a 5-22 overall record. The team picked up two of its wins in conference play. Nyah Molina skillset was on display when she earned setter of the week making her the first Hatters to win that award.

In 2023, the Hatters finished with a 13-16 overall record and an 8-8 record in conference play. Notably, Anabelle Standish and Sophia Groom were both named as a member of the Third Team All-ASUN with Groom also bringing home a defensive player of the week.

During the 2022 season, Deng led the team to a commendable 15-14 overall record and a 6-10 standing in the ASUN conference. Notably, Elena Djokovic received accolades as a member of the All-Academic team and was awarded the ASUN Postgraduate Scholarship. Additionally, Sophie Groom's talent shone bright as she earned a spot on the Freshman team.

Resuming a normal schedule, the Hatters won 13 matches overall and eight in ASUN play in 2021. Deng's squad featured two end of the year superlative award winners: Elena Djokovic was named ASUN Scholar-Athlete of the Year and Nyah Molina was named ASUN Freshman of the Year.  They were the first Hatters to win those awards and the first Hatters to win any conference superlative award since 1986.

Stetson won six matches in a COVID-shortened 2020-21 season, including a 3-1 victory over FAU to open the season.  Djokovic earned second team all-conference honors and two ASUN Player of the Week awards.  Chelcie Spence completed her career as the school's all-time leader in digs (1598).

Deng continued to take the program to new heights in 2019.  The Hatters not only posted their first winning season in conference play since 2002 but also set a single-season record with an eight-game winning streak.  In September, Stetson defeated an SEC opponent (Mississippi State) for the first time in 34 seasons.  The Hatters also had three ASUN Players of the Week for the first time ever.  

In 2018, Deng led the Hatters to a 16-13 record, marking the program's highest win total since 2014.  Stetson also won eight ASUN matches for the first time since 2013 and qualified for the ASUN tournament (as the No. 5 seed) for the first time since 2015.  Overall, Deng helped lead Stetson to just its fifth winning season in the past 33 years.
 
Yang Deng (pronounced YOUNG DEN) spent 17 seasons (2000-16) as an assistant coach Missouri, helping lead the Tigers to two SEC Championships, 13 NCAA Tournament appearances, and an Elite Eight run in 2005, and a Sweet Sixteen appearance in 2016.  
 
In 2016, Deng helped lead Missouri to a 27-6 record and the team’s second SEC Championship in the past four years.  As the No. 15 national seed in the NCAA tournament, the Tigers defeated Northern Illinois and Purdue to advance to the Sweet 16 for the first time since 2010.  Missouri finished the season ranked 16th in the national poll.
 
Deng had tremendous success working with setters and hitters during her tenure at Missouri.  In all, 12 of Deng's student-athletes earned a total of 19 AVCA All-America honors.  Carly Kan, a senior outside hitter in 2016, was a two-time All-American and a two-time selection to the U.S. Collegiate National Team.  Sophomore middle Alyssa Munn, the 2015 SEC Freshman of the Year and AVCA Southeast Region Freshman of the Year, has earned All-America honors in each of her first two seasons.  Outside hitter Melanie Crow also earned All-America honors in 2016, giving the program three All-Americans this past season.
 
Under Deng's tutelage, two of her setters, Molly Kreklow and Lindsey Hunter, went on to compete for the USA National Team.  Nine of her former athletes played professionally overseas.
 
Deng has also been instrumental in Missouri’s academic success.  The Tigers earned three consecutive AVCA Team Academic awards (2014-16), and the team’s 3.57 GPA in 2015-16 was the highest in program history.
 
In 2001, 2006 and again in 2015, Deng helped coordinate a program trip to China, where the Tigers competed against top Chinese competition while also visiting many of the country’s historic landmarks. She also helped bring two Chinese Universities to Missouri for a week’s stay in 2002 and 2006.
 
Deng moved to the U.S from China in 1998 and played two seasons for the Columbia College women’s volleyball team.  As a right side hitter in 1998 and a setter in 1999, she helped lead Columbia to two NAIA national championship titles.  She was named the 1999 AVCA/NAIA National Player of the Year and the MVP of the NAIA national tournament.  
 
Deng graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree from Columbia College in 2002.  She is currently working on a Masters of Education and School Counseling Psychology from the University of Missouri.

A native of Chang Zhou, China, Deng competed three years for the Chinese Junior National team and one year for the Chinese Women’s National Team.  In 1995, Team China won the World Grand Prix Championship and took the Bronze medal in the World Cup.

Yang Deng Feature Story "Net Gains" - Stetson Magazine, Summer 2018

Yang Deng's Year-By-Year Results
 
Year School W-L Pct. ASUN Place
2017 Stetson 3-23 .115 2-12 7th
2018 Stetson 16-13 .552 8-8 5th
2019 Stetson 12-15 .444 9-7 5th
2020 Stetson 6-8 .429 5-8 3rd-S
2021 Stetson 13-16 .448 8-8 4th-S
2022    Stetson 15-14 .517 6-10 8th
2023    Stetson 13-16 .448 8-8 7th
2024 Stetson 5-22 .185 2-14 11th
Total 8 Seasons 83-127 .395 48-75 .390