Kristen Coventon has guided Oklahoma City University to record performances as head volleyball coach.
Coventon guided OCU to a banner year in her first year as head coach. OCU (34-4) established a program record with an .895 winning percentage, which ranked fourth in the NAIA in 2019. Oklahoma City equaled the most wins in program history and ranked fourth nationally in wins with its fifth 30-win season, a school-record 33 wins in a row and the SAC's 12th unbeaten mark in league play at 20-0. OCU reached the NAIA Championships for the fifth time, the round of 16 for the second instance and the national rankings for the first time in three years while sweeping the SAC regular-season and tournament championships for the fourth consecutive year.
Coventon returned to OCU after spending the previous five years as Southwestern Christian coach. Coventon had served as an assistant coach with the Stars prior to becoming a head coach.
In five years at Southwestern Christian, Coventon established many program benchmarks, including leading the Eagles to their most wins in a season (23), guiding their first winning season and mentoring their first NAIA all-American and two National Christian College Athletic Association all-Americans.
Coventon led Southwestern Christian to winning marks, including two 20-win seasons, the past three years. She took the program from two wins in Sooner Athletic Conference play her first year to 13 league victories this past year. She led Southwestern Christian to 86 victories in five years.
Conventon guided 17 all-SAC performers, four all-region choices, the 2017 SAC newcomer of the year, an NCCAA all-tournament recipient, eight NAIA scholar-athlete selections, seven NCCAA scholar-athlete award winners and 31 academic all-conference honorees at Southwestern Christian.
In 2018, Southwestern Christian (23-11) reached the SAC Tournament semifinals and the NCCAA Championships semifinals. Her team succeeded in the classroom, ranking among the top 10 in the NAIA in team grade-point average. In 2016, Southwestern Christian notched its first 20-win season (20-16) with appearances in the SAC Tournament and the NCCAA Central Regional.
Coventon has been active coaching youth. She is vice president and founder of Rise Volleyball Club and has been head coach of the USA Volleyball Oklahoma region high performance team.
Coventon spent two seasons as an assistant coach with OCU. While with the Stars, she helped coach six all-SAC selections, including the 2013 NAIA Mid-South Region and SAC freshman of the year. She began her coaching career as an assistant with Central Oklahoma following her college playing career.
Prior to her time at OCU, Coventon was a four-year standout at Central Oklahoma from 2006-10. She became one of only three players in school history to record 1,000 or more kills and digs in a career, finishing with 1,307 kills and 1,478 digs. She also notched 153 blocks and 97 aces while becoming a three-time all-Lone Star Conference player for the Bronchos. She helped lead UCO to two 20-win seasons and a 70-59 overall record in her four years. She has a degree in kinesiology from Central Oklahoma.
A graduate of Christian Heritage Academy in Del City, Okla., Coventon was an all-state selection in both volleyball and basketball at the high-school level.
Coventon and her husband, Ryan Coventon, were married in June 2015.
