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Josie Adams resigns as head volleyball coach at St. Michael’s after two seasons of putting the program back in stride, guiding it to the state 4A semifinals and bringing a 32-19 record
Said she’s exploring other opportunities while the Lady Horsemen begin the search for a new head coach
By Arnie Leshin | April 9, 2017,
(Cover photo by St. Michael’s)
Two years ago, Josie Adams took on the vacant position of head volleyball coach at St. Michael’s. Now she’s handed in her resignation with the news that she’s exploring other opportunities.
Either there’s a vacancy in the role in the Santa Fe area or she’s checking out other areas in the state. Either way, she felt she did what the school hired her for, and that was to rebuild the program that hadn’t made the state tournament in two of three years.
That she did. In her short stay, she brought a 32-19 record and guided the Lady Horsemen to the 4A state semifinals, where they lost to District 2 rival Las Vegas Robertson.
It was the furthest the program advanced in the state tournament since reaching the then-3A semifinals in 2010.
“I made my decision,” she said, “and I feel like I’m leaving the program in a good place. We brought a lot of energy of positively, what the program needed, which was a big work ethic. My motto was ‘team, effort and attitude’. I worked with a great group of coaches who all put in 110 percent.”
Prior to coming over to St. Michael’s, Adams was head volleyball coach at Santa Fe Waldorf in 2013-14. There, she put together a 38-8 record and led the Wolves to a pair of district titles as well as a spot in the Class B, which is now Class 1A, semifinals. She was previously the assistant coach there for three seasons.
The Lady Horsemen needed a rise in the program that went four years without a winning record.
Adams said that she expects to be on the sidelines with a volleyball program in the fall, adding that’s where her passion is.
New Volleyball coach anyone?
St. Michael’s Bio – Josie Adams
Head Volleyball Coach Josie Adams hails from Southern California, where as a student at Brentwood High, she played any and every sport she could, including volleyball. Josie went on and played volleyball for the University of Kentucky. During her tenure, the team twice qualified for the AIAW Region II Championships, and in 1979 made it to the SEC Championships. While at the University of Kentucky, Coach Josie earned a Bachelor’s of Fine Arts and then went on to Rutgers University where she completed a Master’s of Fine Arts degree. Josie is a contemporary painter utilizing mixed media techniques and enjoys a loyal following of art collectors. After 26 years in New Mexico, Josie began coaching volleyball 8 years ago at the Waldorf School in Santa Fe. While under Josie’s tutelage, Waldorf qualified for state 3 times and reigned as the 1A District Champions for the last 3 years of her time there. Coach Josie was named the varsity volleyball coach at St. Michael’s High School in June of 2015. She and her husband Shawn enjoy spending time at their home in the country. They have one son, Starr, who attends college in Vermont.
