Stetson University Athletics

Yang Deng (pronounced YOUNG DEN) enters her 10th season leading the Stetson Indoor Volleyball program after taking over the Hatters in 2017… A former NAIA National Player of the Year and longtime University of Missouri assistant coach, Deng brought championship, NCAA Tournament and international experience to DeLand. Through her first nine seasons, Stetson student-athletes have earned eight ASUN Player of the Week awards, 10 ASUN Defensive Player of the Week honors and eight ASUN Freshman of the Week selections… Her tenure has also included the program's first winning ASUN season since 2002, its first victory over an SEC opponent in 34 seasons and multiple conference superlative and postseason honorees. Deng's early seasons at Stetson included significant progress for the program… In 2018, the Hatters finished 16-13 for their highest win total since 2014 and recorded eight ASUN victories for the first time since 2013. The season also resulted in Stetson's first ASUN Tournament appearance since 2015 and just the program's fifth winning season in 33 years. Stetson continued its progress in 2019, posting its first winning conference record since 2002… The Hatters established a program-record eight-match winning streak and defeated Mississippi State for the program's first victory over an SEC opponent in 34 seasons. The Hatters also produced three ASUN Players of the Week during the 2019 campaign, a program first. Stetson finished the 2025 season with a 9-19 overall record and a 5-11 mark in ASUN play… The campaign was highlighted by several significant individual accomplishments. Zuzanna Bury earned First Team All-ASUN honors, becoming the program's first First Team selection since 2004… Freshman Xinlei Yang was selected to the ASUN All-Freshman Team. Kayla Balfour earned recognition both on the court and in the classroom, receiving ASUN All-Academic Team and CSC Academic All-District honors. Senior Nyah Molina also made program history by becoming just the third Hatter to reach both 3,000 career assists and 1,000 career digs. Player development has remained a consistent part of Deng's tenure in DeLand… Her Stetson teams have produced conference award winners across multiple positions along with several significant individual milestones. In 2021, Elena Djokovic became the first Hatter to earn ASUN Scholar-Athlete of the Year honors, while Nyah Molina was named Stetson's first ASUN Freshman of the Year… The honors represented the program's first ASUN superlative awards since 1986. Djokovic also earned Second Team All-ASUN recognition during the 2020-21 season and twice received ASUN Player of the Week honors… Chelcie Spence completed her career as Stetson's all-time leader with 1,598 digs. In 2022, Djokovic earned ASUN All-Academic honors and received the ASUN Postgraduate Scholarship, while Sophia Groom was selected to the ASUN All-Freshman Team. The 2023 season produced two Third Team All-ASUN selections in Anabelle Standish and Groom… Groom also earned ASUN Defensive Player of the Week recognition. The 2024 season was challenged by injuries to both of Stetson's setters, with the Hatters finishing 5-22 overall and 2-14 in conference play… Molina nevertheless earned ASUN Setter of the Week recognition, becoming the first Hatter to receive the award. In 2023, Stetson finished 13-16 overall and 8-8 in ASUN play… Standish and Groom each earned Third Team All-ASUN recognition. The Hatters posted a 15-14 overall record in 2022, marking the program's first winning overall season since 2018. Stetson returned to a full schedule in 2021 and won 13 matches overall while earning eight ASUN victories… That season was highlighted by the historic superlative awards for Djokovic and Molina. Prior to Stetson, Deng spent 17 seasons as an assistant coach at the University of Missouri from 2000-16… During her tenure, the Tigers captured two SEC Championships, made 13 NCAA Tournament appearances and advanced to the NCAA Elite Eight in 2005. Missouri's 2016 team finished 27-6, captured the program's second SEC Championship in four seasons and earned the No. 15 national seed in the NCAA Tournament… The Tigers defeated Northern Illinois and Purdue to advance to the Sweet 16 and finished the season ranked No. 16 nationally. Deng worked extensively with Missouri's setters and hitters throughout her 17 seasons with the Tigers… Twelve student-athletes earned a combined 19 AVCA All-America honors during her tenure. Two setters coached by Deng, Molly Kreklow and Lindsey Hunter, went on to compete for the USA National Team… Nine former Missouri student-athletes continued their careers professionally overseas. Carly Kan developed into a two-time All-American and two-time U.S. Collegiate National Team selection. Alyssa Munlyn earned SEC Freshman of the Year and AVCA Southeast Region Freshman of the Year recognition before developing into an All-America performer… Melanie Crow also received All-America recognition as Missouri placed three players among the honorees during the 2016 season. A native of Changzhou, China, Deng competed for three years with the Chinese Junior National Team before spending one year with the Chinese Women's National Team. In 1995, China captured the World Grand Prix Championship and earned a bronze medal at the World Cup… Deng's experience competing at the international level became another foundation of her approach to coaching and player development. Deng also helped coordinate Missouri volleyball trips to China in 2001, 2006 and 2015… The Tigers competed against high-level Chinese teams while also experiencing the country's history and culture. She also helped bring two Chinese university teams to Missouri for week-long visits in 2002 and 2006. Deng moved to the United States from China in 1998 and played two seasons at Columbia College… She competed as a right-side hitter in 1998 before moving to setter in 1999. Deng helped lead Columbia to consecutive NAIA National Championships in both seasons. Her collegiate career culminated in 1999 when she was named the AVCA/NAIA National Player of the Year and Most Valuable Player of the NAIA National Tournament. Deng's coaching career has also included a strong emphasis on academic achievement… During her tenure at Missouri, the Tigers earned three consecutive AVCA Team Academic Awards from 2014-16. Missouri recorded a 3.57 team GPA during the 2015-16 academic year, the highest team GPA in program history at the time. At Stetson, her student-athletes have continued to receive academic recognition through ASUN All-Academic, CSC Academic All-District, ASUN Postgraduate Scholarship and ASUN Scholar-Athlete of the Year honors. Deng earned her Bachelor of Arts degree from Columbia College in 2002… She has also pursued graduate studies in education and school counseling psychology at the University of Missouri.