Rachel Ferguson - Assistant Coach - Staff Directory - University of North Carolina Athletics

Staff Directory

Rachel Ferguson

Title:
Assistant Coach
Email:
Phone:
919-962-5411

Rachel Ferguson completed her second season with the Carolina volleyball team in 2024 after joining the Tar Heel coaching staff on March 14, 2023. As assistant coach and recruiting coordinator, Ferguson played a pivotal role in Carolina’s return to national prominence, helping guide the team to a 23-8 overall record and a 14-6 mark in ACC play—culminating in the program’s first NCAA Tournament appearance since 2021.

"She's proven to be a coach who is committed to learning. She's a high character person who will impact the players and staff in a positive way. She has been involved in all aspects of collegiate coaching including recruiting on a national level, video breakdown for scouting and match preparation and developing offensive systems that maximize the team's chances for success,” head coach Mike Schall said upon her hiring.

Ferguson’s offensive coordination helped push Carolina to one of its most dynamic seasons in recent history. The Tar Heels finished third in the ACC in average assists, kills per set, and points per set. Her leadership contributed to key conference wins, including season sweeps of Duke, a ranked victory over No. 19 Florida State, and a first-round NCAA Tournament win over Yale.

As the team’s recruiting coordinator, her recruiting efforts were crucial in preparing the team for the 2025 season, following the graduation of seven seniors/grad students. Ferguson helped land an impactful transfer class, including North Carolina natives Laynie Smith, Emily Bobbit, and Hailey Pearce, alongside former LSU middle Mackenzie Boyer and former Marquette middle Meghan Clifford. She also helped in securing standout freshmen Bridget Malone, a USA Volleyball National Team Development Program athlete, and Sienna Cozza, a 2022-2024 AVCA Phenom honoree.

In her first season with Carolina in 2023, Ferguson helped lead freshman Sydney Nolan to ACC All-Freshman honors, alongside Mabrey Shaffmaster’s First Team selection. She quickly established herself as an integral part of the program's culture and competitive progress.

Ferguson arrived in Chapel Hill after four seasons at Lipscomb University in Nashville, where she spent three years as an assistant coach before being promoted to associate head coach in 2022. While with the Bisons, she helped the team to a 47-29 overall record and a 33-11 conference mark. In spring 2021, Ferguson contributed to Lipscomb’s seventh ASUN title and eighth NCAA Tournament berth. She also led the effort to sign a 2020 recruiting class recognized by PrepVolleyball.com with a Highest Honorable Mention—marking it as one of the top 60 classes in the country across Division I programs.

A recipient of the AVCA Thirty Under 30 Award in 2021, Ferguson has gained national recognition for her up-and-coming coaching talent and leadership.
Her previous coaching stops include a season at Indiana University as a volunteer assistant, a technical coordinator role with USA Volleyball’s Collegiate National Team, and staff positions at Grand Canyon University, North Carolina Central, and the University of Dubuque.

Ferguson was a four-year letter winner at Heidelberg University in Tiffin, Ohio, where she tallied 2,551 assists as a setter. She helped lead the Student Princes to three Ohio Athletic Conference (OAC) regular season titles, one OAC Tournament Championship, and four NCAA Division III Tournament appearances—compiling a 111-35 record during her collegiate career.

“I couldn’t be more excited and grateful to be joining the Carolina volleyball program,” Ferguson said upon her hiring. “The vision Mike has for the program, paired with the support from those surrounding it, are unparalleled and will provide our current and future student-athletes with a world-class experience.”