VanHoose named Alice Lloyd College volleyball coach
Kayla VanHoose (center) has been named the head coach of the Alice Lloyd College volleyball team. She is pictured with her daughter Taylor VanHoose (left) and husband J.R. VanHoose (right). Photo courtesy of Alice Lloyd College
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PIPPA PASSES — Alice Lloyd College has announced the hiring of Kayla Moore VanHoose as its new volleyball coach for the 2023 season.
VanHoose will replace Nathan Hall, who is taking a new position at the college. Hall will also remain the head coach of the Alice Lloyd College softball team.
VanHoose began her coaching career as the head volleyball coach of Sheldon Clark High School and served for several seasons in that role. She then accepted the same position at Johnson Central High School. Overall, VanHoose has been a head coach for nine seasons. She currently works at Johnson Central High School as the sports information director. She is also the owner/director of marketing for Bluegrass Basketball, a social media platform covering all 16 Kentucky high school basketball regions.
In 2018, VanHoose founded the Bluegrass Volleyball Academy (BVA) in Floyd County, which has focused on fostering the development of volleyball players in Eastern Kentucky and offering more opportunities in the sport to area youth. With BVA’s rapid growth and her goal to “grow the game” in Eastern Kentucky, VanHoose left high school coaching behind.
When asked how she feels about stepping into a college coaching role, the new coach replied, “I am really excited and humbled to have this opportunity. Coach (Nathan) Hall has laid the building blocks for a good program, and we return many quality athletes. I also know many talented student-athletes are in our area, and many want to remain close to home. I hope we can continue to bring many of them here.”
VanHoose comes in with high expectations for her team.
“Our goal is to have a winning record next season,” said VanHoose. “Some good players are returning, so I have a great foundation to start with. After that, I hope to be able to build and eventually compete for the conference championship within a few short years.
“I have always wanted a chance to make a difference in the mountains, and I know Alice Lloyd is a great place to do this. I love the atmosphere of the school and how they care so much about helping kids and serving the Appalachian region. I am incredibly proud to be a part of their mission and become a member of the ALC family.”
VanHoose is a native of Inez. Athletic success definitely does not run short in her immediate family. She is the wife of JR VanHoose, a former Kentucky Mr. Basketball award winner who played at Marshall University. Her daughter, Taylor VanHoose, played collegiate volleyball at the University of Pikeville and currently serves as Co-Director of BVA. She is also the head volleyball coach at Shelby Valley High School.