Debby Baker was named Head Coach of the women's volleyball team in February of 2018 and is currently Southern Virginia University's Senior Woman Administrator.
Under Baker's leadership, the women's volleyball program has soared to new heights. In eight seasons, the Knights have amassed 154 wins, winning over 20 games in a season four times. In 2021, they won the program's first-ever conference championship in the NCAA era and have followed that with three more USA South titles in 2022, 2024, and 2025, all of which helped them qualify for four NCAA Tournaments.
Since 2018, Southern Virginia has produced 18 all-conference awards, one USA South Rookie of the Year, three USA South Player's of the Year, four all-region athletes, and two AVCA All-American's in women's volleyball. In 2024, Baker received her first USA South Coach of the Year award. Two of her athletes, Emma Steiger ('23) and Sydney Bassett ('25) were tabbed as Rita Wiggs award winners in their respective senior seasons, recognizing the USA South's top female student-athletes of the year.
Baker has an extensive resume of volleyball experience. She played collegiate volleyball at the College of Southern Idaho (CSI), and then at Utah State University in 1992. The Afton, Wyoming native has coached at the club, junior college and Division l levels.
After graduating from Utah State University with a degree in marketing in 1995, Baker returned to CSI as an assistant coach. In her two seasons with the Golden Eagles, they went 62-3 and 65-0 to win back-to-back NJCAA National Championships with a team that produced three All-Americans.
Later, Baker joined the coaching staff at Utah State University for one season before she was hired as an assistant coach at the University of New Mexico. Then, Baker spent six seasons at New Mexico State University. With the Aggies, they made three NCAA tournament appearances and produced five All-Americans and 20 All-Conference athletes. In 2003, they signed a top-50 recruiting class nationally.
In 2008, Baker was named the Head Coach at Southern Utah University, bringing back the women’s volleyball program which hadn’t existed for 20 years. She coached there for six seasons, making appearances in the Big Sky and Summit League tournaments.
