Volleyball
- Title:
- Graduate Assistant
One of the most decorated players in Central Arkansas volleyball history, Marissa Collins is in her second season as a graduate assistant coach under her former head coach David McFatrich at Mississippi State.
Collins helps oversee the Bulldogs practices and gameplanning for matches, while helping run the day-to-day operations of the program, making sure the players and coaches are fully equipped for success.
In her first season in Starkville, Collins helped the Bulldogs to one of the most impressive seasons the program has had in recent years. MSU finished the 2015 campaign with a 17-15 record, the first winning season in school history since the 2006 season. Of those 17 wins, 10 came within the friendly confines of the Newell-Grissom Building, tying for the most in program history (2006).
Under the leadership of Collins and the entire Bulldog staff, State was able to reel off a number of impressive wins, including a season sweep of in-state rival Ole Miss and the other Bulldogs in the Southeastern Conference, Georgia.
Her work with MSU’s setters helped the Bulldog offense best the 2014 squad in seven different offensive categories as McFatrich worked to install an up-tempo and aggressive style of play in Starkville.
Collins rejoined McFatrich after playing for him for three seasons from 2011-13, where she earned numerous honors while also setting a number of records along the way. She also rejoinsed assistant coaches John and Brittany Newberry, whom she played under from 2012-13.
Collins began her UCA career playing under 10-time conference coach of the year Steven McRoberts, with McFatrich as his top assistant. Collins played and started in all 36 matches that season, earning First Team All-SLC honors and becoming the first player in SLC history to win Southland Conference Freshman of the Year and Setter of the Year in the same season. She finished the year leading UCA and standing 15th in the nation with 11.54 assists per set and recorded the second most assists in a season in school history with 1,419.
In McFatrich’s first season at the helm of the Sugar Bears, Collins kept her success rolling, making 27 starts and playing in 29 matches. She chalked up 1,448 assists and average 10.4 per set, which stood second in the conference, earning her All-Southland Second Team honors. She also reached the 60-assist mark in three matches that season, with a season high of 61 against McNeese State (Oct. 13, 2011).
Her junior campaign saw her play and start in 35 matches, as she led the SLC and was third in the nation with 12.42 assists per set (1,577 total), helping lead UCA to Southland Regular Season and Tournament titles and the school’s first NCAA Tournament showing. Her success on the court earned her the 2012 Southland Setter of the Year honor, while also landing her on the 2012 All-Southland First Team and All-Tournament Team. She was also the SLC Offensive Player of the Week in back-to-back weeks.
Collins capped her UCA career in stellar fashion, highlighted by becomign the first player in SLC history to land the Southland Player of the Year and Setter of the Year awards in the same season while leading the Sugar Bears to their second-consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance. Her 12.07 assists per set led the Southland Conference and was good for fourth in the NCAA. The senior led UCA to a perfect 18-0 league record, helping the Sugar Bears earn their second-straight SLC Regular Season and Tournament championships.
The Pearland, Texas, native went on to play professionally in Sweden after her career at UCA came to a close. Collins was a two-time All-TGCA All-State selection for Pearland High School before taking to the collegiate ranks. The daughter of Tim and Lisa Collins, Marissa was born on March 18, 1992.
“I’m very excited to have Marissa join our staff here at Mississippi State,” McFatrich said. “She’s one of the most talented and smart players I have ever had the honor of coaching. She brings a great knowledge of the game to our staff, especially at the setter position, where she was one of the most decorated in her four seasons and on the professional level overseas. She’ll be an excellent addition to our staff here and will help us achieve our goal of making Mississippi State volleyball a household name.”
