By Marc Raimondi

Nickie Sanlin is not the only woman coaching men's volleyball in the nation. But there is something very unique about her: Three years ago, Sanlin was chosen to build the McKendree University men's volleyball program from scratch.

Already an assistant coach with the women's team in 2013, Sanlin was pegged as the men's volleyball program's first head coach. The Bearcats first took the court in January 2014 -- and actually won eight matches with an all-freshman roster that season.

Last year, McKendree joined the talent-rich Midwest Intercollegiate Volleyball Association (MIVA), one of the better Division I-II men's volleyball conferences in the country. The Bearcats won 11 matches in 2015, still with only underclassmen on their roster.

Sanlin became the McKendree women's volleyball coach in late October 2014 as well. This year, that program went 22-11, including a 15-3 mark in conference play. The team narrowly missed qualifying for the Division II NCAA tournament.

This season has represented a lift for the men as well. McKendree is 9-13, but still showing improvement considering this is only its third season of existence. On April 2, the Bearcats took a set off Ohio State, the No. 2 -ranked team in the country. McKendree plays Quincy University on Friday and then it's off to the MIVA tournament.

The future is bright in Lebanon, Illinois and Sanlin is clearly the reason why. Sophomore outside hitter Jared Wilcox owes it to her.

"Our coach is very loud and outgoing," Wilcox told KSDK recently. "She's got a very bold personality and she's not really going to take anything from us players."




Wilcox was the first McKendree men's player to win MIVA Offensive Player of the Week last season. He also won a National Freshman of the Week honor by "Off the Block" in 2015. This year, Wilcox leads the team in kills and is second in digs.

The McKendree roster still doesn't have any seniors, so regardless of how the rest of this season plays out, next year could be a big one.

"It's all business," Sanlin told KSDK. "We joke around a lot, but when it's in the gym, it's game time."

As far as if she can intimidate her players, well that's not a worry for the pioneering coach.

"I would think so," Sanlin said. "I have a reputation of wearing my high heels every match. I want to look them in the eye even through they're 6'5 and above."