Samantha Groves Named Varsity Volleyball Coach

Samantha Groves has been named the Eastern Mennonite School varsity girls volleyball coach.

“My own coaches were so formative in my youth, and I’ve always wanted to help shape a team culture and girls’ lives by giving back as a coach,” says Groves.

Groves held the position of libiro at Eastern High School in Beaver, Ohio, and also played club ball year round. She was a defense specialist at the college level at Shawnee State University, where she studied business with a concentration in healthcare administration.

“It’s a good time for me to dedicate myself to a program,” says Groves. She, her husband and two young children relocated to the Valley from Ohio in spring 2020, just as Covid shut things down. “Now I can channel my passion for the sport and my experience with formative coaches to a new generation.”

EMS volleyball has had a number of transitions since winning seasons under Coach John Williams and the challenges of training and competing with Covid restrictions. “It’s exciting to be looking at a fresh start,” says Andrew Gascho, athletic director. “Our players are anxious to begin working out during open gyms, and what next fall will offer.”