WAVERLY, Iowa—DeAnn Akins has been named the next head volleyball coach at Wartburg College, John Cochrane, the Lowell J. Walker Chair of Athletics Directorship Endowed Chair and Director of Athletics, announced today.

"We are so thrilled to be able announce that DeAnn Akins will be next leader of our volleyball program," said Cochrane. "DeAnn is a consummate professional with a proven track record of success and of providing the highest quality of experience to the young women she has helped develop as athletes and as individuals over the course of her 22-year coaching career. Her intuitive leadership will be an invaluable component in continuing to establish a culture that fosters personal development while competing for conference and national championships. Our staff and campus community are excited to welcome her, and we look forward to the positive impact and the contributions she will make to our entire athletic program."         

Akins comes to Wartburg from Coe College where she has led the program since 2006. The Kohawks have won five A-R-C regular season championships and three A-R-C tournament titles. They also have made four appearances in the NCAA tournament. She has 388 victories in her 19 seasons at the helm.

Akins has coached over 60 All-Conference performers, three offensive conference MVPs, and 12 All-Americans. She has received the A-R-C Coach of the Year honor five times. Coe earned an AVCA team academic award for the last 14 years.

"I am honored for the opportunity to lead the Wartburg volleyball program," said Akins. "I want to thank John Cochrane and the search committee for this opportunity and for their commitment to the process. Returning to the place where I got my first professional coaching job is very fulfilling, and being a part of the successful Wartburg culture is humbling. I look forward to getting started with my team while competing at a high level."
Prior to Coe, Akins spent the 2005 season as the director of volleyball operations at the University of Iowa.

Prior to working at Iowa, Akins led Kirkwood Community College in Cedar Rapids to its first ever NJCAA Division II National Championship in 2003. Akins spent two seasons with the Eagles, won back-to-back conference and regional titles and was 81-25 overall. She was named NJCAA Division II District C Coach of the Year in both 2003 and 2004 and was the 2003 AVCA Midwest Region Coach of the Year.

Akins, a native of Waverly, Iowa, worked as an assistant coach at Wartburg College during the 2002 season. She helped lead the Knights to their first 30-win season, first Iowa Conference title and the program's highest ever ranking at No. 7.

As a collegiate student-athlete, Akins began her career at the University of South Dakota before transferring to Northern Iowa. She played on the 1997 Panther team, then served as a student/volunteer assistant for four seasons. During that time, UNI won four consecutive Missouri Valley Conference titles and made four NCAA National Tournament appearances.

She earned her bachelor's degree from UNI in 2000 and her master's from California University of Pennsylvania in 2007.

Akins will begin at Wartburg on January 20.