Coaching Highlights:
Record: 42-49 (3 Seasons)
NCAA Tournament Appearances: 1
Conference Carolinas Tournament Championships: 1
Conference Carolinas Division Championships: 1
Conference Carolinas Player of the Year Awards: 1
All-Conference Selections: 4
Tournament MVP: 1
All-Conference Tournament Selections: 3
CSC Academic All-District Selections: 9
Dean's List: 15
Conference Carolinas Presidential Honor Roll: 23
In her third season as the Valkyries head coach, Ivey guided Converse to their first ever NCAA Tournament berth, Conference Carolinas Tournament Championship, and Conference Carolinas Northwest Division Championship. Ivey guided the Valkyries to their best season in program history, finishing the year with a 23-10 record and is now just one win away from tying the coaching career record at Converse. Under Ivey's guidance, Mackenzie Day was named a D2CCA Third Team All-American, D2CAA First Team All-Region selection, Conference Carolinas Defensive Player of the Year, Confernce Carolinas First-Team, Conference Carolinas Tournament MVP and a Conference Carolinas All-Tournament selection. Day also finished second in the nation in digs (748) and fifth in the nation in digs per set (5.84). Joining Day on the All-Conference teams this year were Noemia Chiacchio (Second Team) and Ariel Bryant (Third Team). Both Bryant and Day were named to the All-Tournament team alongside Alysha Arroyo. Academically, Day, Tori Barr and Megan Carpenter were all named to the CSC Academic All-District team. Statistically this season, the Valkyries ranked fourth nationally in team digs (2,360), sixth nationally in total attacks (4,811), 12th nationally in service aces (253), 19th nationally in digs per set (18.44), 23rd nationally in team kills (1,590), and 25th nationally in team assists (1,467). The Valkyries had six athletes named to the Dean's List and 12 athletes named to the Conference Carolinas Presidential Honor Roll.
In her second season as the head coach, Ivey guided the Valkyries to their first 10 win season since 2019...For the second straight season, Ivey guided the Valkyries to the second round of the Conference Carolinas Tournament. This past season the Valkyries swept Belmont Abbey for the first time in two decades and knocked off North Greenville when they were undefeated and #1 in the conference. Under Ivey's guidance, newcomer Tori Barr led the conference in blocked shots. As a team the Valkyries finished second in the conference in total blocks (195) and blocks per set (1.77). The Valkyries were also nationally ranked in total digs (1,807) and digs per set (16.43). The Valkyries had four athletes this year named to the CSC Academic All-District Team, nine named to the Dean's List, and 11 named to the Conference Carolinas Presidential Honor Roll.
In her first as the head volleyball coach at Converse, Ivey set the program record for wins in a season by a first year coach. The Valkyries finished second in Conference Carolinas and 98th in the nation in digs per set at 15.98 this season. Mackenzie Day finished third in the conference in total digs (455) and fourth in the conference in digs per set (4.38). Jasmine Finkley finished fifth in the conference in hitting percentage (.312) and finished sixth in total blocks (90) on her way to a Third Team All-Conference selection. In the classroom Day and Finkley were also named to the CSC Academic All-District list, a first in program history.
Ivey makes her way to Spartanburg after having spent the last year in the University of South Carolina junior college system. Ivey was the Assistant Athletic Director and the head volleyball coach at USC Salkehatchie. Prior to her time in the Palmetto State, Ivey was also an assistant volleyball coach at Greensboro College and helped the team to a 7-7 record in a Covid shortened season. Ivey has also coached on the club circuit, with stops at the Champion Volleyball Club and the Palmetto Strikers Volleyball Club.
Ivey played collegiately at Lenoir-Rhyne University from 2016-2019. Over a four-season span, Ivey appeared in 55 matches, registered 139 kills, 156 total blocks, 244.5 points, 57 digs and 12 service aces. During her freshman season in Hickory, Ivey led the South Atlantic Conference in blocks per set at 1.06. During her senior season she posted a career high 13 blocks against Mount Olive and recorded 1.2 blocks per set. As a player, Ivey helped the Bears to 43 wins over her career in Hickory.
