BREVARD, N.C. - Throughout the Fall, the Brevard College Department of Athletics will be highlighting its staff members in a tri-weekly Staff Highlight Series, giving members of the Athletic Administration and Coaching Staff the opportunity to introduce themselves to the BC community through a series of questions and biographical elements.
Next up in BC's Staff Highlight Series is Brevard College Assistant Volleyball Coach Kia Kaufman, a former volleyball student-athlete at Xavier University of New Orleans and Colorado State University-Pueblo.
bctornados.com: What has been your favorite professional memory?
Coach Kaufman: Leading my 12U team to a gold bracket finish at the 2018 USA Volleyball Girls National Championships.
bctornados.com: What makes Brevard College a special place?
Coach Kaufman: The people and the surrounding nature!
bctornados.com: Who has been the biggest influence in your professional career?
Coach Kaufman: My mother, who is my biggest role model. She has taught me so much about how to work with people and how to handle adversity. Also, my coaching mentor Jodi, who introduced me to coaching and also pushed me to continue coaching at a higher level.
bctornados.com: What is some advice you would give to young people looking to get into the profession?
Coach Kaufman: It will be hard, but it will be worth it. Focus on the things within your control and work to get one-tenth of one percent better every day.
Kaufman in action for Xavier University of New Orleans.
Kaufman enters her first season as Assistant Coach of the Brevard College Volleyball program. She comes to BC after serving as the Master Coach and Head Coach at Momentum Volleyball Club in Centennial, Colorado, a position that she has held since 2013. As of 2019, Kaufman has also served as the Program Manager of the Club.
Alongside her experience at Momentum, Kaufman has held multiple coaching positions, including Assistant Beach Coach at Rocky Mountain Region Elite Beach Volleyball in Denver, Colorado, Assistant Volleyball Coach at Cherokee Trail High School in Aurora, Colorado, and Assistant Volleyball Coach at. Rock Canyon High School in Highlands Ranch, Colorado.
While at Rock Canyon, Kaufman also served as the JV Head Coach, leading her team to consecutive RCHS JV Invitational Championships and an undefeated 2016 JV season. The varsity squad finished in third place in both the 2015 and 2016 Colorado 5A State Championships.
Prior to her tenure at Momentum, Kaufman was the Head Volleyball Coach for the 5280 Volleyball Club in Centennial, Colorado. Kaufman gained additional experience from 2018-19 serving as an Office Assistant for the Rocky Mountain Region of USA Volleyball.
Kaufman earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Biology from the University of Colorado Denver in 2014, where she was also a volleyball club team captain in her final year as an undergraduate. Before her time at UCD, Kaufman played at the collegiate level for both Xavier University of New Orleans (2010-11) and Colorado State University-Pueblo (2008-10). In New Orleans, Kaufman was the team's setter in the school's inaugural volleyball campaign, while she played defensive specialist/libero during her time in Pueblo.
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-BC-