WATERTOWN, Wis. -- With the fall seasons set to go, four new assistant coaches on the Sabercats coaching staff are eager to prepare this year's Sabercat teams.

Women's Volleyball: Taylor Dafoe and Kelsey Johnson

Dafoe and Johnson both bring a wealth of experience to the Sabercats Women's Volleyball team. Dafoe steps in as Assistant Coach to Regina DeLozier while Johnson fills in as a volunteer assistant.

Dafoe ('20) helped transition the Men's Volleyball Team from the club level to the NCAA DIII varsity level, and he has been a stalwart figure for the program as he approaches his fourth and final season. The two-year captain holds the program record for assists (1,153 and counting), and he earned the first-ever NCCAA Student-Athlete of the Week Award during the 2020 season - a season that included a program-best nine wins. 

Johnson earned just about every award in the book for Sabercats Women's Volleyball. Besides being a team captain and an undisputed leader on and off the court, Johnson earned the NCCAA DII National Player of the Year award, the NCCAA GP4L Character Award (Women's Volleyball), Regional Player of the Year, and multiple NCCAA DII 1st-Team All-American honors.

Both Dafoe and Johnson frequent the program record books in terms of individual career records.

Men's Soccer: Kevin Risma

Risma joins Dr. Lane Hansel and Associate Head Coach Taylor Pill under Head Coach Jeff Pill for the 2020 season. Risma helped the Sabercats qualify for the NCCAA DII National Tournament for the first time in five years during his senior season and finished his career with 62 appearances for the Blue and Gold.

Risma had an injury-shortened sophomore season and finished his MBU career with nine goals and four assists while making 42 starts.

Men's and Women's Cross Country: John Warnke

Warnke's dedication to his running career makes him a prime candidate to lead the teams as an assistant coach for the 2020 season. Warnke ran at Simpson College (Iowa) from 2009-13 and set a PR of 26:13 in an 8K. Besides that, Warnke finished in the Top 8 in the Iowa Conference Championships for the 5000M and 3000M Steeple.

Before coming to MBU, Warnke coached at Clinton High School, Hempstead High School, and Loras College. He has coached multiple athletes and teams to qualify and place at Iowa High School State Cross Country, and Track and Field meets.