Glenville State University Athletics

Kris Kern enters his first season as the Head Coach of the Glenville State Volleyball program in 2026.

"We are excited to get a coach with the experience and pedigree of Coach Kern," Glenville State Athletic Director Jesse Skiles said. "We witnessed how he developed the West Virginia State team into a championship program, and we are excited to have him in charge of the Pioneer program moving forward."
 
Kern comes to Glenville after returning to the high school coaching scene at Logan High School in Ohio for the 2024 and 2025 seasons. While at Logan, Kern was the Southeast Ohio District Coach of the Year in '24 and '25 whIle also earning OCC Conference Coach of the Year in both seasons. Prior to Logan HS, he was the head volleyball coach at the University of Pikeville in Kentucky, where he turned around a program that had won four games into 2022 to 20 wins in 2023 during his first and only season at UPIKE.
 
"I've long admired Glenville State University, the intensity of their athletic teams and the leadership of Jesse Skiles. I'm grateful for the opportunity to lead this team into the next chapter of Pioneer Volleyball," said Kern.
 
Kern spent six seasons (2017-2022) at West Virginia State as the Yellow Jackets head coach, where he quickly turned around the WVSU program into a perennial conference power. In those six seasons, Kern's Yellow Jackets went (125-54) overall and (64-24) in the Mountain East Conference while winning the MEC South Division in 2021 with a (15-1) conference mark. That same season, the Yellow Jackets advanced to the MEC Tournament Championship and picked up the program's first-ever NCAA DII Tournament win the Atlantic Region Tournament. Kern's (30-5) overall record earned him MEC Coach of the Year with 16 All-MEC selections and the NCAA Atlantic Region Player of the Year.
 
He built a program that saw just six wins in 2016 to 14 victories during his first season in Institute in 2017. From there, he went on to win 25 in 2018, 21 in 2019, 10 in 2020 (COVID shortened season), 30 in 2021 and 25 in 2022. During the 2020 COVID season, which was played in the spring of 2021, WVSU won the MEC South Division in the shortened 10-game conference schedule.
 
Kern's storied high school coaching career is highlighted by his (805-86) overall record, 35 sectional championships, 21 conference crowns, 16 district titles, two regional championships and two Ohio State Final Four appearances. His most notable run came with Lancaster High School, where he spent 13 years from 1994-2006 and just recently, was inducted into the school's Wall of Fame.
 
"Glenville State Volleyball is a sleeping giant and it's time to get busy. I'm truly thankful to Jesse, Dr Manchin and the Board of Governor's here at Glenville State for the chance to join this wonderful university," finished the program's new head coach.
 
He has accumulated over 40 Coach of the Year awards from the national level as well as the state, district and conference ranks. Kern had the pleasure of leading a U-19 squad to a World Tournament Championship also. The Buckeye state's all-time winningest head coach has also been the All-Ohio High School State Coaches Achievement Award recipient three times in his career.

What They're Saying
"Kris is a winner. Any team he coaches can expect not only to win but to have a coach who deeply cares about his players on and off the court. The athletic department, school and community at Glenville St will be better for having him there." - David Zelenock (Head Coach, The Citadel)

"Coach Kris Kern is an outstanding hire for Glenville State, bringing a proven blend of leadership, volleyball expertise, and genuine care for student-athletes. He is known for building competitive programs grounded in discipline, accountability, and relentless work ethic, while also fostering a culture where players grow as people, teammates, and leaders. Coach Kern's ability to connect with athletes, develop talent at every level, and establish clear standards translates directly to sustained success on and off the court. His passion for the game, commitment to player development, and vision for building a unified program make him an ideal fit to lead Glenville State volleyball into its next chapter." - David Rehr (Head Coach, University of Houston)

"I have known Kris for over 25 years.  My first interaction was during his time coaching at Lancaster High School, when I was a student manager for an opposing high school program, and I have had the opportunity to follow his career and compete against him at multiple levels ever since. I later coached against Kris during his tenure at Canal Winchester High School, and again while I was at West Virginia University and he was leading the program at West Virginia State University. Throughout each step of his career, Kris has consistently demonstrated strong leadership, professionalism, and a proven ability to build successful programs and positively impact his student-athletes. He has a proven ability to develop players both fundamentally and mentally, preparing them to compete confidently and successfully at the highest levels of the game. It has been truly rewarding to watch firsthand his continued growth and success, and I hold the utmost respect for him both personally and professionally. I am confident he will thrive in his new role at Glenville State University, and I can't wait to watch it happen!" - Aaron Hastings (Assistant Coach, Middle Tennessee State)