Jennifer Petrie, a proven winner who has cemented her status as not only one of the premier volleyball minds in the country but as one of the most successful and decorated leaders in San Diego sports history, will enter her 27th season as San Diego volleyball’s head coach in 2025.
JENNIFER PETRIE'S ACCOLADES AT A GLANCE
- 2022 AVCA National Coach of the Year
- Unanimous 2022 VolleyballMag.com National Coach of the Year
- Three-time AVCA Pacific South Region Coach of the Year
- Seven-time West Coast Conference Coach of the Year
San Diego has advanced to the NCAA Tournament in 22 of the past 26 seasons. Petrie’s career record is 513-184 with a .736 winning percentage.
Under Petrie, USD has advanced to the Final Four once (2022) and the Sweet 16 five times, including 2018 and 2022. San Diego has climbed into a top-five national ranking in three different seasons, including a program-best No. 2 in both 2013 and 2022.
In 2022, Petrie was named both the AVCA National Coach of the Year and earned VolleyballMag.com's unanimous selection as its National Coach of the Year.
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Seven times Petrie has been named the West Coast Conference Coach of the Year (2004, 2008, 2010, 2013, 2017, 2019, and 2022) and has been named the AVCA Pacific South Region Coach of the Year on three occasions (2013, 2017, and 2022).
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Petrie has helped develop 11Â All-Americans in her 25Â years heading the program. Another 12Â players have earned honorable mention All-America recognition.
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In Petrie’s 26 years as head coach, the Toreros have dominated the West Coast Conference postseason awards, as in:
- 10 Players of the Year
- Four Defenders of the Year
- Three Setters of the Year
- 11Â Freshmen of the Year
- One Libero of the Year
- And 65Â All-WCCÂ First Team selections
In 2024, Coach Petrie achieved a remarkable milestone, securing her 500th career win with a dominant 3-0 sweep at Gonzaga. Under her leadership, the Toreros posted a strong 19-9 overall record and a 14-4 finish in WCC play, tying for second place in the conference. The team’s season was highlighted by an undefeated run at the LSU Invitational and statement victories over No. 17 BYU and WCC rival Pepperdine. Several players flourished under Petrie’s guidance, earning conference and academic honors. Isabel Clark was named WCC Freshman of the Year, while Kylie Munday earned WCC Setter of the Year honors. Clark, Kristen Erland, and Haylee Stoner were selected to the All-WCC First Team, Nemo Beach was named to the All-WCC Second Team, and Madi Allen and Kennedy Osunsanmi received All-WCC Honorable Mentions. Stoner was also recognized on the All-WCC Academic Team, with Olivia Bennett earning a WCC Academic Honorable Mention.
In 2023, Petrie steered the Toreros to a 16-10 overall record and a 12-4 mark in conference play, which was good for a third-place finish in the West Coast Conference. Outside hitter Nemo Beach was named the WCC Freshman of the Year alongside All-WCC First Team selections for Leyla Blackwell, Kylie Pries, and Amber Stivrins, and an All-WCC Second Team recognition for Haylee Stoner. Additionally, Stoner (First Team) and setter Isadora Tercariol (Honorable Mention) earned WCC academic honors.
She elevated both San Diego volleyball and USD Athletics to new, unprecedented heights in 2022, leading the Toreros to a 31-2 overall record that included a perfect 18-0 mark in WCC play for just the second time ever. The Toreros' lone two losses in 2022 came at the hands of the teams that played for that year's national championship — Texas and Louisville — and her team took a set from both the Longhorns and the Cardinals.
For her efforts she was recognized as America’s top volleyball coach — both by her peers and by the country’s top volleyball publication — earning both the AVCA National Coach of the Year award and a unanimous selection as the
VolleyballMag.com National Coach of the Year.
Under Petrie in 2022, San Diego set a school record with 28 consecutive wins, good for the second-best overall winning percentage (.939) and longest win streak (28 matches) in the country. After beginning the season at No. 25 in the AVCA Division I Women's Coaches Poll, her team moved up or maintained position in every AVCA Poll until November 28. The Toreros tied a program-high No. 2 national ranking on October 31 and held strong there for four straight weeks, giving them 12 weeks in the nation's Top 5 through 15 total polls. USD eventually finished at No. 3 in the final AVCA Top 25 Poll (December 19), the highest placement it's ever concluded a season with.
With her at the helm San Diego swept 20 of 33 matches in 2022, including 13 of 18 WCC contests, and went 8-2 against the AVCA Top 25 and 3-2 against the AVCA Top 10.
The Toreros' excellence under Petrie in 2022 didn't stop in the regular season. After capturing their 12th West Coast Conference Championship and receiving a No. 2 seed in the NCAA Tournament, postseason matches returned to the Jenny Craig Pavilion for just the third time ever, and San Diego beat Northern Colorado and seven-seed No. 24 Washington State in the event's first and second rounds to advance to its fifth-ever Regional Semifinal.
San Diego then met three-seed No. 15 Kentucky in Palo Alto, where it swept the Wildcats 3-0 in the Sweet 16, moving USD to the first Elite Eight appearance in program history. Two days later, the Toreros completed a stunning 3-2 win over Stanford, silencing the Maples Pavilion as it punched its ticket to its first-ever Final Four.
In addition to the Toreros' team success, Petrie's mentorship in 2022 also helped the Toreros take home a flurry of conference, regional, and national awards. This season saw Petrie mentor an AVCA First Team All-American (Gabby Blossom), an AVCA Second Team All-American (Grace Frohling) an AVCA Third Team All-American (Katie Lukes), the AVCA Pacific South Region Player of the Year (Gabby Blossom), three AVCA Pacific South All-Region Team members (Grace Frohling, Katie Lukes, and Gabby Blossom), an AVCA Pacific South All-Region Honorable Mention (Breana Edwards), the 2022 WCC Player of the Year (Lukes), Setter of the Year (Blossom), and Libero of the Year (Annie Benbow), in addition to four All-WCC First Team selections, two All-WCC Second Team selections, and an All-WCC Honorable mention. After the season, her team took home the 2023 WCC Female Sportsmanship Award, designed to celebrate outstanding sportsmanship exhibited during competition, practice and behind the scenes, and Blossom was named the 2023 WCC Female Mike Gilleran Scholar-Athlete of the Year, which recognizes the finest accomplishments in athletics, academics and community service by individuals who have completed their collegiate eligibility.
Petrie steered the Toreros to the program's 25th appearance in the NCAA Tournament in 2021, with San Diego posting a 20-8 (14-4 WCC) record en-route to a first-round matchup with Rice. Highlights included victories over a pair of ranked opponents (No. 16 UCLA and No. 24 Pepperdine), two players being named to the AVCA Pacific South All-Region Team (Grace Frohling and Katie Lukes), and seven earning All-WCC honors, including four to the All-WCC First Team (Frohling, Lukes, Leyla Blackwell, and Annie Benbow).
After the fall 2020 season was postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic, Petrie faced the most unique season in her career. The Toreros played a conference-only schedule in the spring of 2021, finishing 12-4 just behind BYU and Pepperdine. USD made its 11th consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance with one of just 16 at-large bids and advanced to the second round for the 11th time in Petrie’s career. Outside hitters Roxie Wiblin and Thana Fayad earned All-Region honors, while Wiblin also received All-America recognition.
In 2019, Petrie earned her sixth WCC Coach of the Year nod after the Toreros finished 25-6 and captured their first outright WCC Championship since 2013, going 17-1 in conference play. Petrie celebrated her 400th career win and USD made its tenth straight NCAA Tournament appearance. San Diego’s offense ranked in the top-10 nationally for most of the season and eight Toreros earned All-WCC honors including four first-team selections. To cap off the awards, Anna Newsome and Megan Jacobsen earned All-Region honors, while Grace Frohling was named AVCA Pacific South Freshman of the Year and All-America honorable mention.
Petrie turned in one of her best coaching performances in 2018. On a team looking at a transition with a heavily laden freshmen roster, the Toreros closed the regular season 16-12. But after earning an at-large berth in the NCAA playoffs, USD turned hot. The Toreros knocked off No. 13 Cal Poly 3-1, then pulled off the most stunning upset of the postseason, handing No. 17 USC a 3-0 defeat on the Trojans’ home floor. USD matched its best program finish, advancing to the regional semifinals.
In 2017, USD went 25-5 and advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament. Kristen Gengenbacher was named WCC Player of the Year and earned All-America honors. The 2016 season saw the Toreros reel off an 18-match winning streak as they rose as high as No. 5 in the national rankings.
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In 2013, Petrie guided the Toreros to arguably one the most successful seasons in program history. San Diego received a national ranking of No. 2, the highest for any USD athletic team in the Division I era, and they remained in the top-10 for a majority of the season. USD also captured its ninth WCC title, upended No. 1 ranked USC at the Jenny Craig Pavilion, hosted the first and second rounds of the NCAA Volleyball tournament, winning both matches to advance onto the Sweet 16 for the third time in program history. Petrie was also recognized as the AVCA Pacific South Region Coach of the Year, and under her tutelage, three Toreros took home AVCA All-American accolades.
After taking the 2011 season off to spend time with her newborn daughter, Caroline, Petrie returned to the sidelines, and resumed her role as head coach for the 2012 season. In 2012, the Toreros posted a 21-7 overall record, and took a share of the WCC Championship, while advancing onto the NCAA Tournament for the 10th time in Petrie’s career.
In 2010, the Toreros captured their fourth WCC championship in the previous five seasons, as USD posted a 13-1 mark in league play. Petrie helped produce five All-WCC performers highlighted by Ali Troost who was tabbed as the WCC Player of the Year, as well as helping guide Chloe Ferrari to the WCC Freshman of the Year honor. The Toreros also reached the second round of the NCAA Tournament after sweeping away Long Beach State, before falling in a hard fought 3-1 loss to USC in the second round.
Petrie proved to be one of the country's best young coaches—needing just ten seasons to reach 200 career victories. From 1999 to 2009, the Toreros averaged 21 wins per season with four WCC titles and nine NCAA Tournament appearances.
In 2009, Petrie guided the Toreros to a second-place finish in the West Coast Conference, and helped the team post an overall record of 18-7. Ali Troost was tabbed the WCC Player of the Year and went on to become USD's eighth AVCA All-American in program history. The Toreros also had four players earn All-WCC accolades.
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In 2008, Petrie orchestrated the Toreros to their third consecutive WCC championship, becoming the first program at USD to achieve such a feat. USD posted a 12-2 mark in the WCC and went 23-5 overall, earning its eighth consecutive trip the NCAA Tournament. Under Petrie's tutelage, Amy Mahinalani DeGroot was tabbed the WCC Player of the Year and went on to become USD's sixth AVCA All-American in program history.
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In 2007, Petrie helped guide USD to its second consecutive WCC Championship and third in the previous four years. The Toreros also returned to the NCAA Tournament for the seventh consecutive season.
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Petrie took off the fall semester of 2006 on maternity leave and let her top assistant for the previous five seasons, Brent Hilliard take the reins.
The 2004 season was a special one in Petrie’s young career, with the Toreros finishing as the undefeated (14-0) WCC Champions, advancing to the NCAA Regional Semifinals, and earning a national ranking as high as No. 11 by the American Volleyball Coaches Association—all new USD school records. The Toreros also had a then-school record three players earn AVCA All-America honors at season's end.
Petrie became the third head coach in USD program history in 1999, succeeding three-time WCC Coach of the Year Sue Snyder. The Toreros enjoyed immediate success under Petrie, finishing 23-6 and advancing into the NCAA Tournament's second round during her inaugural season in the fall of 1999.
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Her collegiate coaching career began when she joined the volleyball staff at Indiana State University where she served as top assistant from 1992 to 1993. Petrie then took the top assistant position at North Carolina, Chapel Hill from 1994 to 1997, before joining Sue Snyder's staff at the University of San Diego for the 1997 campaign. Petrie helped San Diego win back-to-back WCC Championships as the Toreros' top assistant in 1997 and 1998.
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Petrie was a standout volleyball player at the College of William and Mary. She was twice named Colonial Athletic Conference Player of the Year (1990-91) and a two-time All-Southern Region selection (1990-91). She gained national level playing experience in 1990 when she competed on the gold medal-winning U.S. Olympic Festival North Region Team. Petrie was later selected to the College of William and Mary Athletic Hall of Fame.
Petrie played for the San Diego Juniors Volleyball Club and graduated from Mt. Carmel High School. In 1992, she graduated from the College of William and Mary with a degree in Art History and completed her Master's Degree in Sports Administration at North Carolina, Chapel Hill in 1997.
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Petrie resides in San Diego with her husband, Mark and their three children;Â son Charlie and daughters Jane and Caroline.
