It is safe to say that Caren Kemner isn’t a stranger to the world of volleyball, and her return to Quincy University is in so many ways a “homecoming”! Caren, a Quincy native, continues to be honored as one of the most recognizable athletes in the sport of volleyball. Her twenty-year career is representative of volleyball at the highest levels, Olympic, professional indoor, and on the beach.
As a member of the United States National Team for fifteen years Caren was blessed to appear in three Olympics Games, (88 Korea, 92 Barcelona, and 96 Atlanta). It was at the Barcelona Olympics that Kemner and her teammates not only captured the Bronze medal by defeating Brazil 3-0 but Caren was also honored as “best female volleyball in the world” by the Federation of International Volleyball (FIVB). During her tenure with the National team, Coach Kemner also played professionally overseas in Italy, Brazil, and Japan. Upon her decision to step away from the indoor circuit in 1997, Kemner took her skill set to the beach playing professionally on the AVP for five more years.
Caren is a six-time recipient of the United States Olympic Committee Female Volleyball Athlete of the Year, a five-time recipient of the Team USA MVP award, and Sullivan Award Nominee, which honors United States top amateur athletes. The “call for the hall’ came for Kemner in 2013, when she was inducted into the Volleyball Hall of Fame as one of the Worlds Greatest Players.
Coach Kemner’s arrival at Quincy University follows an eleven-year window at nearby Culver-Stockton College. Kemner’s passion for teaching the game is mirrored in her commitment to the academic success of her student-athletes. During her coaching tenure Caren has produced several All-Americans, numerous all-conference (both male and female) as well as maintaining an impressive academic standard
Caren’s extraordinary background and high standards are a perfect fit at Quincy University. The Hawks MVB competes in the (D1) Midwestern Intercollegiate Volleyball Association. The MIVA, as it is commonly known, is widely recognized as one the most challenging conferences in the country.
