by Rusty Ellis
The Cookeville Lady Cavs will have their fourth head coach in four seasons next year, as Avery Trace Volleyball coach Staci Wiegand was named the program’s next head coach on Monday.
This comes on the heels of a season that saw the Lady Cavs make the District 7-3A Semifinals, their earliest exit since the early 2000s.
A former Lady Cav herself, Wiegand returns to the program after spending five years at the helm for Avery Trace among her other duties with Cookeville Leisure Services Volleyball Athletics.
As far as what she wants to accomplish at CHS, Wiegand says she wants to get to work immediately on building a new culture around the program.
“During my five years at Avery Trace, I worked hard to to make my student-athletes feel special and to help them see their hard work pay off,” Wiegand said. “I concentrated on developing a team culture that focuses on the growth and process, not just the outcome.”
Being on the Lady Cavs volleyball team during her high school career gives Wiegand an insider perspective and appreciation for the new opportunity.
“Being a part of this volleyball team impacted me in a way I could’ve never imagined,” Wiegand said. “I am so grateful. I consider it an incredible honor to be able to give back to this program and community.”