Allison IvyJonathan Paulk returns to N.C. Central University’s volleyball team to lead the coaching staff with more than just unfinished business. He’s stepping back onto the court with a vision to rebuild the team and shape its future.
Paulk, who was an assistant volleyball coach at NCCU from 2016 to 2018, said that returning as head coach is a “full circle” moment.
“When I was here in 2016 to 2017, I was right out of college completely green. [I] didn’t have a clue what I was doing in terms of recruiting,” Paulk said. “When I left to become a head coach, and all the years since…I learned a ton about the ways I think [coaching] should be done and how to go about recruiting.”
Before his return, Paulk spent five years as the head volleyball coach at Shaw University. In 2023, he was named the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association Volleyball Coach of the Year and the American Volleyball Coaches Association Atlantic Region Coach of the Year.
Paulk led the Lady Bears to an undefeated conference record of 18-0 and a school record of 31 wins in a single season, earning him the United States Collegiate Athletic Association National Coach of the Year Award.
“If I were to leave there is only one school I would leave for and it was NCCU,” Paulk said.
Alongside Paulk, NCCU received three Shaw players, Leanna Beaty, Talia Emmen and Manuela Cripa Nasser.
Last season, the Lady Eagles finished the season with a 7-19 record. The team also lost four graduating seniors. But Paulk said that he’s hopeful for this season.
“The potential here is crazy high,” Paulk said. “Start building the path up and we’re gonna lose a lot of returners this year…I want to send them off on a high note. Their whole career here has been losing season after losing season. The past three years they finished in like the bottom two or three in the conference.
Paulk said that he not only wants to improve the performance of the players, but he wants to build their confidence.
“You’ve been losing, but you’re not losers. You can win,” Paulk said.
So far this season, NCCU has a 4-12 overall record and a 1-3 conference record. The Lady Eagles will face Howard tonight and Norfolk State Sunday at McDougald-McLendon Arena.
“The next moment.. it’s not so much rear focused as it is forward focused.”
