Marquette University women’s volleyball head coach Tom Mendoza has announced that Riley Whitesides will join the staff as an assistant coach.
“I’ve known Riley for a long time, and we could not be adding a better person to the program, both as a coach and mentor for our student-athletes,” Mendoza said. “Her success comes from the hard work she puts in and the relationships she builds. I’m excited to work with her and see the impact she will have on Marquette Volleyball.”
Whitesides will work alongside associate head coach Ethan Pheister and assistant coach Stef Jankiewicz.
A former player under Mendoza at the University of South Carolina, Whitesides had a standout career. As a graduate student in 2024, she earned First Team All-Southeastern Conference honors and was named to the AVCA All-Region team. She averaged 4.47 kills per set, ranking in the top-20 nationally, and hit .241 during her final season.
Whitesides finished her indoor career ranked fifth in program history with 1,452 kills, second in service aces with 100, ninth in digs with 920, and fourth in total points with 1,645.
In addition to her athletic achievements, Whitesides excelled academically at South Carolina. She was twice named to the College Sports Communicators Academic All-District team and received SEC academic honors. She graduated with a bachelor’s degree in psychology in May 2024 and earned a Master of Business Administration this spring.
Whitesides also made her mark in beach volleyball, completing her third season in Columbia with an 18-13 record this spring. She finished the 2024 season with a 20-15 record, bringing her career total to 38-27 in dual action on the sand.
Earlier this spring, Marquette announced its non-conference schedule for the 2025 fall season. The Golden Eagles will face Wisconsin at Fiserv Forum on Wednesday, Sept. 17, and will also play against WKU, Dayton, Florida, and Minnesota at the Al McGuire Center. Marquette had a strong 2024 season, finishing 25-9 and making its third NCAA Regional appearance, where they were eliminated by the eventual NCAA champions in the regional semifinals.
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