Skip Navigation

Coaching Staff

Head Coach Abbey SutherlandAbbey Sutherland | Head Coach

Abbey Sutherland will embark on her sixth season as head coach at Green Bay after being hired as the sixth head coach in program history prior to the 2018 season.

Sutherland had an immediate impact during her first season, coaching the Phoenix to an impressive 20-11 record (13-3 HL) in the regular season while guiding the Phoenix into the program's second-ever NCAA First Round appearance. Under her direction, Taylor Wolf was named Horizon League Player of the Year, Maddie Yoss was named Setter of the Year, and Vanessa Buman was named Defensive Player of the Year. Alexandra Zakutney was also named to the All-Freshman Team, while Yoss and Austyn Everingham landed on the All-Academic Team.

In her second season (2019), Sutherland led the Phoenix to an overall record of 21-9. In non-conference play, the team defeated Ohio State at the Champyinz Invitational, which was the program's first victory over a power-five school since 2015. Green Bay finished third overall in the Horizon League at 12-4. Not only did the team earn a spot as an AVCA Top 50 team for the first time in program history, but the Phoenix ranked 45th overall in the NCAA's RPI, the highest mark to end a season for any team in the program's history as well. Taylor Wolf was also named back-to-back Horizon League Player of the Year and Offensive Player of the Year. In addition, Maddie Yoss was named back-to-back Horizon League Setter of the Year and Brenna Hesse earned All-Freshman Team honors. Emily Lautenschalger, Taylor Wolf, and Maddie Yoss were featured on the conference's All-Academic Team also for Green Bay.

Sutherland came to the Phoenix after spending the previous five seasons at nearby UW-Stevens Point, where she led the Pointers to a 146-36 record during her successful tenure. Under Sutherland's leadership, UWSP appeared in consecutive NCAA Final Fours. In what was considered to be a rebuilding year in 2017, Sutherland led the Pointers to 24 wins with a very young team. In 2016, UWSP amassed 27 wins behind four experienced seniors and Sutherland's guidance. Her 2015 team qualified for the NCAA Tournament, winning its first game before falling in the Second Round, finishing 27-9 in that season. In 2014, UW-Stevens Point was 33-5 overall, including a 21-match winning streak prior to falling to Emory in four sets in the national semifinals. The Pointers won the St. Paul Regional with sweeps of St. Benedict and Coe before edging Cornell (Iowa) 15-11 in the fifth set to claim the regional championship for the second-straight season. At the NCAA Division III Championship in Newport News, Va., the Pointers claimed a thrilling five-set win over Claremont-Mudd-Scripps by a 16-14 score in the decisive fifth set.

In Sutherland's first season of 2013, UWSP went on the deepest NCAA Tournament run in program history, making it all the way to the national semifinals. UWSP defeated three straight teams ranked in the top six, before falling to Cal Lutheran. The Pointers compiled an overall record of 35-5, and the 35 wins were the most by a UWSP team since 1985. The team won 24 straight matches prior to the loss to Cal Lutheran. Sutherland coached two-time WIAC Player of the Year Alexis Hartman, who was UW-Stevens Point's first-ever conference player of the year and four-time All-WIAC pick. Sutherland has also coached over 10 All-WIAC players and helped sophomore April Gehl earn AVCA Honorable Mention honors.

Prior to coming to UWSP, Sutherland spent three seasons as head coach at the University of Southern Mississippi. She compiled a 44-47 record after taking over the program in 2010. She had spent six seasons as an assistant coach with the program and four as the team's top assistant. In 2010, Sutherland guided Southern Miss to a 19-12 record and a fourth-place finish in Conference USA. Sutherland is one of only two first-year head coaches to record a winning season at Southern Miss. Sutherland's 2011 Golden Eagles had three student-athletes earn All-Conference USA honors including a First Team selection and a First Team All-Region performer. The 2012 squad continued its academic excellence and earned its third consecutive team academic award from the AVCA.

She enjoyed a standout playing career at St. Norbert College in De Pere, Wisconsin, where she racked up 4,554 assists, 1,503 digs, and 128 aces. She helped SNC finish first in the Midwest Conference in 2002 and advance to the second round of the NCAA Tournament.

Abbey resides with her husband Ryan and their two Corgis, Lala and Herman.

Assistant Coach Shannon CoughlinShannon Coughlin | Assistant Coach

Shannon Coughlin was added as an Assistant Coach on June 27th, 2024. Coughlin returns to the Phoenix after playing for Green Bay from 2018-22.

After Coughlin's Green Bay playing career, she took her talents overseas to Lemesos Volleyball in Limassol, Cyprus, and later Quimper Volley 29 in Quimper, France. She spent five years in Titletown as a player, racking up 900+ kills, 240+ digs, and 140+ blocks. She served as a team captain from 2020-22, made the Horizon League Academic Honor Roll six times, and was a part of the 2018 Horizon League regular season and tournament champions.

From 2018-22, Coughlin also served as a Volleyball Camp Lead Director for Green Bay Volleyball Camps and Nike Sports Camps. Since May of 2022, she has also served as an assistant coach at Lawrence University, where she assisted in recruiting, training, and branding efforts.

Coughlin graduated from Green Bay with a bachelor's degree in Education in 2021 and a master's degree in Applied Leadership in 2022. She is a 2018 graduate of Clay High School in Oregon, Ohio.

Assistant Coach Jim DwyerJim Dwyer | Assistant Coach

Jim Dwyer joined the Phoenix as an assistant coach in the summer of 2024.

Dwyer joins the Phoenix fresh after leading the Georgetown College men's volleyball team to an NAIA National Championship in the spring of 2024. The Tigers went 28-6 overall and 9-1 in the Mid-South Conference in his one year at the helm of the program. Dwyer won conference Coach of the Year after leading the team to the Mid-South Regular Season and Tournament Championships.

Dwyer has extensive coaching experience at the club, high school, and collegiate levels. Prior to this time at Georgetown College, he served as the head men's volleyball coach at Cardinal Stritch University in Milwaukee, a women's volleyball assistant coach at Purdue Northwest (DII), and as a club coach with First Alliance Volleyball Club in Woodridge, Ill. Dwyer also served as interim head coach for men's volleyball and head women's volleyball coach at his alma mater, Robert Morris University Illinois, where he played from 2014-2018. As a setter/utility player, he was named an All-Conference selection in 2015.

Dwyer is a Chicago, Ill., native, and graduated from Robert Morris with a bachelor's degree in Exercise and Sports Science in 2018 followed by a master's degree in Management with a concentration in Sports Administration in 2019.