18th Year
Gannon ‘93
Missy Soboleski was hired as head volleyball coach at Edinboro University on February 3, 2005.
Now entering her 18th season as Edinboro’s head coach, Soboleski has enjoyed great success, including a recent run of four straight 20-win seasons. She has led Edinboro to nine NCAA Division II Atlantic Region playoff berths, along with trips to the PSAC Playoffs ten times. She owns a 333-188 record as Edinboro's head coach, ranking first all-time in career wins. She passed Patrick McLane’s record of 260 victories on September 13, 2016 with a three-set win over Notre Dame(Oh.).
Soboleski has won 507 career matches, ranking among the career leaders in Division II in career victories among active coaches. Win 500 came on Sept. 23, 2022 with a 3-0 victory over Mercyhurst. She picked up her 300th career win on October 7, 2011 with a win against West Chester, and win number 400 came in a five-set triumph over Shippensburg on October 1, 2016. Her 200th career win at Edinboro came courtesy of a four-game victory against eventual PSAC champion Pitt-Johnstown on October 19, 2013, and number 250 came in four games over Seton Hill on October 24, 2015. Her career record stands at 587-383. Her teams have won at least 22 matches in 10 of her 17 seasons, and posted 20-or-more wins 11 times.
In the 2021 season, the Scots finished 22-7, earning a share of the PSAC West regular season title and winning Soboleski the PSAC West Coach of the Year Award. The Scots advanced to the NCAA Atlantic Region semifinals.
in 2019-20, the Fighting Scots finished with a 16-14 record and qualified for the PSAC Tournament for the tenth time. The season featured Cierah Jackson reaching 1,000 career kills and Molly Breier reaching 1,000 career digs. Her 2018 edition was 14-14.
The 2017 Fighting Scots posted a 22-10 record and went 10-8 in the PSAC Northwest, good for second place. They got off to a 10-1 start, but were victimized all year by fifth sets. Six of the ten losses came in five games. Edinboro would finish 7-6 in matches that went five sets and came up with a big five-set win in the PSAC Tournament.
Edinboro upset top-seeded Indiana(Pa.) in five sets, prevailing 17-15, in the PSAC Quarterfinals for a huge road win. Keeping with the tone of the season, the Fighting Scots would fall in five games to Pitt-Johnstown in the PSAC Semifinals.
In 2016, Edinboro began the year with four straight losses in the Golden Oredigger Classic as the Fighting Scots played without star middle hitter Victoria Severo. Severo returned the following week, and Edinboro proceeded to run off 17 straight wins to set a school record.
The Fighting Scots would finish the regular season in second place in the PSAC Northwest Division with a 15-3 record. Edinboro was upset by Indiana(Pa.) in the PSAC Quarterfinals. The Scots entered the NCAA Division II Atlantic Regional as the number three seed. A lineup revamped due to injuries rallied for a five-set win in the regional quarterfinals over Shippensburg. Playing in the semifinals for the first time since 2011, Edinboro won in three games over 2016 PSAC champion Gannon to reach the Atlantic Regional Final for the first time since 2007. Edinboro would fall to top-seeded Wheeling Jesuit in the finals in three games to end the year at 25-9.
The 2015-16 season saw Edinboro reach the 30-win mark for the second time under Soboleski and just the sixth time in school history. The Fighting Scots finished with a 31-7 record, winning the PSAC West with an 18-4 record. The 31 wins tied for the third-most in school history, and the most since the 1990 team won 33 matches.
The Fighting Scots were selected for the NCAA Atlantic Regional for the second straight year after getting off to the best start in school history with wins in 28 of their first 30 matches. That included 15 straight wins at one point..
Edinboro qualified for the PSAC Tournament for the first time since 2011, advancing to the PSAC semifinals. The fourth-seeded Fighting Scots, battling several injuries, would fall to Clarion in the first round of the NCAA Atlantic Regional.
The Fighting Scots reaped plenty of honors, with Soboleski being named the PSAC West Coach of the Year, Challen Litwiler the PSAC Athlete of the Year, and Megan Screptock the PSAC Freshman of the Year.
The 2014 Edinboro edition qualified for the NCAA Division II Tournament for the first time since 2011, ending the year with a 21-13 record. The Fighting Scots would lose to Clarion in the quarterfinals of the Atlantic Regional.
The 2011 Fighting Scots advanced to the PSAC quarterfinals, followed by reaching the semifinals of the Atlantic Regional. Gina Boothe was named the PSAC West Athlete of the Year and was an honorable mention AVCA All-American. The young squad featured five freshmen playing prominent roles, and ended the year with a 23-9 record.
The 2010 campaign was one of the most successful in Boro history. The Fighting Scots ended the year at 30-6, marking the most wins since the 1990 squad won 33 matches. Edinboro ran off a then-school record 16 consecutive wins. During that stretch the Scots lost just eight games.
Edinboro finished as the runner-up in the PSAC, losing in four games to Clarion in the finals. The Fighting Scots won the right to host the Atlantic Regional. After a win over Lock Haven, the Fighting Scots were eliminated by California(Pa.) in the regional semifinals.
Edinboro ended the 2009 campaign with a 23-13 record, finishing third in the PSAC West with a 13-6 record. The Fighting Scots defeated Clarion in the NCAA Atlantic Region quarterfinals before falling to Lock Haven in the semifinals.
After a slow start, Soboleski returned the Fighting Scots to the ranks of the elite in the Atlantic Region in her first season in 2005. Edinboro finished its first year under Soboleski’s tutelage with a 26-16 ledger, and was selected for the NCAA Division II Playoffs.
The 26 wins were particularly impressive since the Fighting Scots were struggling at 7-12 entering the final weekend in September. They would go on to win 17 of their final 19 regular season matches to qualify for the PSAC Tournament with a third place finish in the Western Division.
With a four-game win over Millersville in the quarterfinals, Edinboro reached the semifinals before falling to Lock Haven. The same fate held true in the Atlantic Regional, as the Fighting Scots defeated Mount Olive in three games in the quarterfinals, but then lost to Lees-McRae in the semifinals.
2007 saw the Fighting Scots finish with a 28-11 record, the most wins since the 1998 edition also won 28 matches. Edinboro enjoyed a successful playoff run, reaching the PSAC Tournament semifinals, then falling in the finals of the Atlantic Regional to California(Pa.).
A young 2008 squad devoid of any seniors posted a 26-9 record, finishing second in the PSAC West and qualifying for the Atlantic Regional for the third time in four years. Soboleski’s ability to mold a team without any seniors and with four freshmen playing key roles did not go unnoticed. She was selected the AVCA Atlantic Region Coach of the Year.
Soboleski is well-known in local volleyball circles. She has previously coached at two local institutions, Mercyhurst and Gannon. She took over the Edinboro program after serving as the head coach at Mercyhurst from 1999-2004.
At Mercyhurst, she inherited a volleyball program that had not had a winning season since 1993, had won only five games in four years in the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC), and had recorded just 26 wins in five previous seasons. She proceeded to lead the Lady Lakers to three winning seasons in six years at the helm, including a 21-8 finish in 2002, winning the Southern Division championship. The 2001 team went 19-16, and her 2003 team was 16-15.
Prior to taking over at Mercyhurst, Soboleski spent four seasons as the head coach at her alma mater, Gannon, where she was previously a standout player. Her 1995-98 Lady Knight editions reached the GLIAC Playoffs twice, including a 21-14 record in her first season, with Gannon reaching the NCAA Division II Playoffs. Soboleski's final team was 18-16 and qualified for the GLIAC Playoffs. She was an assistant coach under Gerry (Burbules) Vensel, a member of the Edinboro Athletic Hall of Fame, in 1994.
A native of Rootstown, Ohio, Soboleski graduated from Gannon in 1993 with a bachelor's degree in Education and a minor in Sports Management and Health & Physical Education. A four-year letterwinner for the Lady Knights from 1990 to 1993, Gannon was 116-22 during that period. That included three straight trips to the Elite Eight to conclude her playing career. While at Gannon, she also served as the SWA/Assistant Athletic Director.
Soboleski enjoyed a distinguished career as a player, serving as a co-captain in 1993. The outside hitter earned a spot on the Hamot Classic All-Tournament team as a senior, then capped her career by earning All-Tournament accolades in the NCAA Division II Atlantic Regional. She totaled 14 kills and 16 digs in the regional final win over Slippery Rock, propelling Gannon to its third straight trip to the Elite Eight.
Soboleski resides in Erie, Pa. with her three children -- Madison (20), a standout volleyball player who began her collegiate career at Pittsburgh before transferring to South Alabama earlier this year, along with twins Braeden and Abigale (17).
Missy Soboleski’s Career Coaching Record
Year School W L Pct. Notes
1995 Gannon 21 14 .667 NCAA Division II Playoffs/GLIAC Playoffs
1996 Gannon 8 22 .267
1997 Gannon 6 21 .222
1998 Gannon 18 16 .529 GLIAC Playoffs
1999 Mercyhurst 7 23 .233
2000 Mercyhurst 11 20 .355
2001 Mercyhurst 19 16 .543
2002 Mercyhurst 21 8 .724 GLIAC Southern Division Champions
2003 Mercyhurst 16 15 .516
2004 Mercyhurst 6 23 .261
2005 Edinboro 26 16 .619 NCAA Division II Playoffs/PSAC Playoffs
2006 Edinboro 19 17 .528
2007 Edinboro 28 11 .718 NCAA Division II Playoffs/PSAC Playoffs
2008 Edinboro 26 9 .743 NCAA Division II Playoffs/PSAC Playoffs
2009 Edinboro 23 13 .639 NCAA Division II Playoffs/PSAC Playoffs
2010 Edinboro 30 6 .833 NCAA Division II Playoffs/PSAC Finals
2011 Edinboro 23 9 .719 NCAA Division II Playoffs/PSAC Playoffs
2012 Edinboro 11 22 .333
2013 Edinboro 18 18 .500
2014 Edinboro 21 13 .618 NCAA Division II Playoffs
2015 Edinboro 31 7 .816 NCAA Division II Playoffs/PSAC Playoffs
2016 Edinboro 25 9 .735 NCAA Division II Playoffs/Sweet 16/PSAC Playoffs
2017 Edinboro 22 10 .688 PSAC Playoffs
2018 Edinboro 14 14 .500
2019 Edinboro 16 14 .533 PSAC Playoffs
2020 Edinboro No Season CoVID19
2021 Edinboro 22 7 .759 NCAA Playoffs/PSAC Playoffs
2022 Edinboro 19 10 .655 PSAC Playoffs
25 years 507 383 .570
At Edinboro (17 years) 333 188 .639
At Mercyhurst (6 years) 80 105 .432
At Gannon (4 years) 53 73 .421
