LAKEVILLE — LaVille Jr-Sr High School are pleased to announce the hiring of Jennifer Higley as the new Head Volleyball Coach for the LaVille Lancers. Higley is the 16th head volleyball coach and succeeds Pat Whiteman-Gring. She brings more than 20 years of volleyball coaching experience, across middle school, high school, collegiate, and club levels. Most recently, Higley has served as the junior varsity volleyball coach and eighth grade volleyball coach at LaVille. She teaches Biology I, Biology Honors, Anatomy & Physiology, and Introduction to Health Science Careers at LaVille. She has also coached During her playing career, Higley graduated from Concord High School prior to moving on to Taylor University. "... I played collegiate volleyball while earning my degree (at Taylor), said Higley. "During my junior and senior seasons, I was honored to be named an All-American. After completing my playing career, I remained at Taylor for an additional season as a student assistant coach, which further strengthened my understanding of the game from a leadership perspective." According to Higley, "In addition to school programs, I have also coached club volleyball for Momentum and NIVA, helping develop athletes year-round. Across all levels, my focus has been building disciplined, competitive programs and developing athletes who understand both the technical and mental sides of the game." We also had the opportunity to ask Higley what interested her in being the head volleyball coach at LaVille. "I have always had the goal of becoming a head coach," said Higley, who was also inducted to the Concord High School Hall of Fame and Elkhart County Athletic Hall of Fame in 2014. "While I’ve had opportunities in the past, they weren’t the right fit for my family at the time. When the position opened at LaVille, it felt different. Although moving to LaVille Schools wasn’t originally part of my plan, the way doors continued to open confirmed that this was where I was meant to be. "What truly piqued my interest is the potential within the program. Our athletes are hardworking, coachable, and genuinely love the sport. That combination is something you can build around. Last year, I also started a feeder program through the NIVA Volleyball program out of Mishawaka to help strengthen our pipeline. It has been exciting to see the young talent developing and to envision what the future of LaVille volleyball can become. I see an opportunity not just to maintain the program that Pat has built, but to grow it into something consistently competitive and sustainable." She has been a student assistant coach at Taylor University, a JV coach at Terre Haute South. At the same time, she was offered the head volleyball coaching position at Elkhart Central, but accepted an assistant coaching position at Goshen College under Jim Routhier, her former high school coach. During her time at Goshen College, the program won its first-ever conference championship, a milestone of achievement for the school. In 2013, she transitioned to Concord High School as the varsity assistant coach under her sister, Kelly Chupp. During that time, the program won two sectional championships. Most recently, I moved to LaVille in 2023 as the 8th-grade coach and became the high school JV coach in 2024. As we continued our conversation, we asked Coach Higley what she feels are key points of emphasis as she steps in the Lancer head volleyball position. "Discipline and accountability will be my top priorities as I take over the Lancer volleyball program," said Higley. "This means setting clear expectations, practicing with purpose, and building habits that promote consistency, effort, and teamwork every day. My focus will extend beyond just the high school level, because a successful program must be built from the ground up. Developing strong fundamentals and a solid skills foundation in our younger athletes is essential to elevating our level of play over time. I have been especially encouraged by the growing interest and dedication from our elementary students, and I look forward to helping channel that excitement into a disciplined, fundamentally sound program that progresses through each grade level." LaVille graduated nine seniors from a team that completed an 8-15 overall record in 2025 and Highley is eager to get started. "While graduating nine players presents challenges, we return a young but motivated core — eight freshmen, five sophomores, and four juniors — who are eager to compete," said Higley. "Several of them are putting in significant work during the offseason by playing on club teams, and that commitment will be critical to our success. Programs that want to take the next step don’t rely solely on the school season; they develop year-round." It has been a long spell since LaVille won a volleyball sectional - 1973- and Higley understands it will take some building - one brick at a time. "At LaVille, we have a small student body and an even smaller pool of athletes," said the new Lancer boss. "Many of our girls are two- or three-sport athletes, which speaks to their competitiveness and toughness. Rather than seeing that as a limitation, I see it as a strength. These athletes understand commitment, time management, and how to compete. "To help a program that hasn’t won a sectional since 1973, it will take more than talent — it will take a shift in mindset. We must build a culture rooted in discipline, accountability, and belief. That means raising our expectations in practice, competing with intensity every day, and developing the confidence to perform in high-pressure moments. If this group continues to embrace the work and trust the process, I truly believe we can position LaVille volleyball to compete at a championship level again."