MINNEAPOLIS -- April Elsbernd, who has guided the University of Dubuque's volleyball program to success over the past 15 seasons, has been named the new volleyball head coach at Augsburg University, it was announced on Tuesday.
 
In her 15 seasons at the University of Dubuque (Iowa), Elsbernd guided the Spartans to berths in the American Rivers Conference (formerly Iowa Intercollegiate Athletic Conference) tournament 11 times in a 12-season span. The Spartans won the ARC regular-season title in 2023, finishing 22-9 overall and 8-0 in league play.
 
The Spartans earned NCAA Division III national tournament berths in the 2018 and 2019 seasons, and finished with 20 or more wins in four of the last six full seasons. Elsbernd's 228 wins (228-242 record) are the most in program history. The Spartan coaching staff was named ARC Coaching Staff of the Year in both 2018 and 2023.
 
 "Augsburg University is a place that I have revered for many years because the mission and vision align with my core values and passion for community engagement. I am thrilled that I get the chance to lead an exceptional volleyball program, compete in the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference, and join a welcoming and inclusive athletic department," said Elsbernd, named the 11th head coach in Augsburg volleyball history. "I hope to build on the successful legacy that (departing) coach Jane Becker leaves, and connect with alumnae who have supported this program for so many years. I want to thank Athletic Director Jeff Swenson and the search committee for giving me this opportunity. I am very excited to get to campus and start building relationships, not only with my student-athletes and coaching colleagues, but in all areas of this unique university."
 
Under Elsbernd's leadership, University of Dubuque volleyball student-athletes earned 34 All-American Rivers Conference selections, two Rookie of the Year honors, an ARC Most Valuable Player award, and four American Volleyball Coaches Association Division III All-America Honorable Mention and four AVCA All-Region selections. Her teams earned 14 straight AVCA Academic Team awards, and volleyball student-athletes have earned 129 Academic All-American Rivers Conference honors, including 11 this past season.
 
Prior to starting with the Spartans in 2009, Elsbernd served as head coach at Iowa Central Community College and spent three seasons as an assistant coach at Cornell College in Mount Vernon, Iowa. She's also worked with USA Volleyball's Iowa Region High Performance Program since 2011. Elsbernd also served as the University of Dubuque athletic department's Diversity and Inclusion Designee, and as an adjunct instructor for the Health, Wellness and Sport department and the First-Year Experience department.
 
A native of Calmar, Iowa (South Winneshiek HS), Elsbernd played her college volleyball at Coe College in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, earning her bachelor's degree in 2003 with majors in sociology, public relations and speech communications. She was a four-year letterwinner for the Kohawks, and earned Academic All-Iowa Conference honors in 2001 and 2002. She earned her Master's Degree in Sport Administration from the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse in 2007, and earned her Doctorate of Education in Educational Leadership from National Louis University (Ill.) in 2020.
 
Elsbernd will replace Jane Becker, who resigned in December after spending 14 seasons as head coach. At Augsburg, Becker compiled a 239-119 overall record and 86-46 mark in Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference play, earning three MIAC regular-season titles and advancing to NCAA Division III national tournaments four times. Becker took a leave of absence during the 2023 season, with assistant coach Colleen (Ourada) Enrico '14 serving as interim head coach. The Auggies finished 15-14 overall, 6-5 in MIAC play in 2023, its 15th straight above-.500 overall record in full-season competition.