COACHING STAFF

Rashinda Reed
Head Coach

Rashinda Reed was announced as the Alabama head volleyball coach on December 20, 2021.

"I am extremely honored to be named the head coach of the University of Alabama's volleyball team," Reed said. "I'm humbled for the opportunity to coach in the Southeastern Conference, one of the most respected conferences in the history of NCAA Division 1 sports.

"I want to especially start by thanking Chris Tamas and my team at the University of Illinois. My development as a coach and leader is attributed greatly to Chris's guidance. The comradery and friendship we've built throughout the years as a staff has allowed us to develop high-level athletes and even better, incredible women. I'm excited to move that forward to the University of Alabama.

"I would also like to thank Greg Byrne and the University of Alabama's hiring committee for the opportunity to coach this unique program. This is an opportunity that I won't take lightly and for that I'm grateful.

"As the first black female head coach of the program, I am eager to set the example of excellence and strength alongside some of the most respected colleagues and accomplished staff members. Our staff will bring similar values that will help guide this program towards a culture of champions."

University of Alabama - Head Coach (2022-present)

Alabama ranked in the top three in the SEC in aces and digs (2022)
Fifth-year senior Abby Marjama cracked the UA single-season and career top 10 in aces, ranking in the top five nationally in aces-per-set (2022)
A program-best four CSC Academic All-District honorees in Abby Marjama, Kendyl Reaugh, Victoria Schmer and Alyiah Wells (2022)

University of Illinois - Assistant Coach (2017-2021)

Four NCAA Tournament trips with the Fighting Illini, including a pair of Sweet 16 berths in 2017 and 2021 and a semifinal run in 2018 as the No. 3 national seed
Working primarily with Illinois' middle blockers, Reed mentored two-time AVCA All-American Ali Bastianelli and two-time All-Big Ten honoree Ashlyn Fleming

University of Alabama at Birmingham - Assistant Coach (2016)

Northeastern University - Assistant Coach (2015)

Binghamton University - Assistant Coach (2011-15)

Won the 2012 American East Conference Championship to secure a bid to the NCAA Tournament
Coached seven all-conference honorees at Binghamton, including the 2014 Rookie of the Year and 2012 Setter of the Year
Also served as the club director of the Whirlwind Volleyball Club managing 14 coaches and 140 athletes

University of Southern Indiana - Assistant Coach (2009-11)

Mentored an All-American, two All-Midwest Region performers and two All-Great Lakes Valley Conference honorees from 2009-11
In 2010, the Screaming Eagles reached the NCAA Division II Volleyball Tournament

Playing Career

Played at the University of Georgia from 2002-04 after beginning her collegiate career at Southwestern Oregon Community College, garnering All-Northwest Athletic Conference accolades
Following her time in Athens earning a bachelor's degree in psychology, she spent five seasons playing professionally overseas with Austria's VC Tirol Volleyball Club (2006-07), Holland's Plantina Longa Volleyball Club (2007-08) and Finland's PislaPloki Volleyball Club (2008-09)
While playing professionally, she studied anthropology and Hungarian at the Central European University in Budapest, Hungary in 2005 and German at Innsbruck University in Innsbruck, Austria in 2006

Personal Information

A native of Fairbanks, Alaska
Has been a member of the American Volleyball Coaches Association Assistant Coaches Committee since 2011 and is also a member of the Alliance of Women Coaches
Married to David Halligan, the couple has a son, Lucas

Jake Barreau
Assistant Coach/Recruiting Coordinator

Alabama volleyball head coach Rashinda Reed has announced the hiring of Jake Barreau as an assistant coach on the Crimson Tide staff following three seasons as an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator for Michigan State.

In his role with the Spartans, Barreau was responsible for the recruitment of players such as Nalani Iosia who ranked second in the Big Ten in total digs (516, 4.57/set), along with Zuzanna Kulig who finished fourth in the Big Ten in blocks (154, 1.41/set). Before his time in East Lansing, Barreau served as the associate head coach and recruiting coordinator for Illinois State. In 2021, Barreau helped lead the Redbirds to a third consecutive Missouri Valley Conference championship and a fourth straight NCAA Tournament appearance. Barreau was responsible for assisting with the offensive game plan that tallied the ninth most kills nationally (1701,13.5/set) in his first year with the program.

Before his time up north, the Wisconsin native spent two years with Oklahoma, turning the Sooners into one of the top defensive programs in the country from 2018-2020, and with the Missouri State Bears who saw three NCAA Tournament appearances and claimed a pair of regular season MVC titles in 2016 and 2017.

As a player, Barreau was the libero on the Wisconsin Men's Club Team and earned Big Ten Men's Volleyball Association Defensive Player of the Year honors twice. Barreau eventually went on to play professional volleyball with the Texas Tyrants.

Nathan Matthews
Asssistant Coach

Alabama volleyball head coach Rashinda Reed has announced the hiring of Nathan Matthews as an assistant coach on the Crimson Tide staff following three seasons as head coach of the Wittenburg Tigers men's volleyball team.

"It did not take long for Coach Reed to get me fired up about what the future holds for this program," Matthews said. "The support offered to student athletes at Alabama is unmatched. Beyond that, I have been blown away by just how special the entire Alabama family is. I am so grateful to Coach Reed for this incredible opportunity and I cannot wait to prove what we can do. LANK!"

At Wittenburg, Matthews was responsible for creating a dramatic turnaround for the men's volleyball program, giving the Tigers its first back-to-back 15+ win seasons since the program's start in 2016. For his efforts, Matthews was named as the MCVL Coach of the Year in 2023 and 2024 in his second and third years, respectively, as coach of the Tigers.

In 2023, Mathews led the Tigers to its first MCVL Regular Season Championship and the team received votes in the AVCA Top 15 Coaches Poll for the first time since 2016. Last year, Matthews brought the Tigers to an undefeated conference record for the first time in school history, earning a second straight MCVL Regular Season Championship.

Before his time as a head coach, Matthews spent two seasons as a technical coordinator with Kentucky women's volleyball where he was in charge of video breakdown and analytics, contributing to the Wildcats' 2020 National Championship run.

As a player for Wittenburg, Matthews was a part of the first ever men's volleyball team in school history in 2016. The Ohio native was able to close out his playing career with the first conference regular season title in program history.

Karah Sims
Athletic Trainer