PHILADELPHIA – The University of Pennsylvania's head women's volleyball coach, Meredith Schamun, has announced the addition of Sara Parson to her coaching staff as an assistant coach. She joins Trevor Weiskircher on Schamun's staff.
 
Parson comes to University City from the University of Kentucky, where she spent the last two years as a graduate assistant with the women's volleyball program under head coach Craig Skinner.
 
"I am thrilled to be adding a strong female leader to our staff," said Schamun, who recently completed her second season as the Quakers' head coach. "From the moment I met her, I knew Sara was the right fit for Penn Volleyball for so many reasons. Her passion is contagious, and she has an enthusiasm for coaching and mentoring young people that will lend itself greatly to our team's success on and off the floor. Sara brings a ton of knowledge from her time at Kentucky and North Texas, and I am happy to welcome her to our staff."
 
"I would like to thank Meredith Schamun, Trevor Weiskircher, Rachel Kuperinsky and Penn Athletics as a whole for giving me the opportunity to be a part of this special program," said Parson. "I am super excited to work with Meredith and Trevor because I know this is a program in which I truly see myself and others growing indefinitely. From the prestigious university to the committed staff and the talented players, I cannot think of anywhere else I would rather be than here, helping this program grow to its fullest potential."
 
During Parson's time on the UK staff, the Wildcats won a pair of Southeastern Conference (SEC) titles—going a combined 32-4 in conference play across the two seasons—and made the NCAA Championship both years. Kentucky went 22-8 overall last season and advanced to the NCAA Round of 16, while in 2021 the 'Cats went 25-5-1 and advanced to the NCAA second round.
 
Prior to her stint at Kentucky, Parson spent two years on staff with the University of North Texas women's volleyball program as the Mean Green's operations coordinator. Parson also has served as the head coach for several club volleyball teams in the North Texas area and was an administrative director for the North Point Volleyball Club in Denton, Texas in 2019-20.
 
In February 2023, Parson was announced as a selection for the Pac-12 Conference's women's volleyball Diversity Mentorship Program, where she was paired with Oregon head coach Matt Ulmer. The Diversity Mentorship Program was launched in October 2020 with the aim of strengthening the pool of minority candidates for collegiate head and assistant coaching positions in NCAA Division I women's volleyball and involves hands-on experience, regularly meeting with her assigned coaching staff and program administrators, and regular meetings with the Pac-12's Chief People and Inclusion Officer. Additional elements of the Program include six live-lesson and discussion sessions with True North Sports' leadership development and American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) membership, and attendance at the AVCA's annual convention.
 
In addition to holding bachelor's and master's degrees in sports management from North Texas, Parson is pursuing a second master's degree in sport and exercise psychology from the University of Kentucky.