Mizzou volleyball has a decorated coaching staff, both as players and coaches.

By Brandon Weiss, MUTigers.com Correspondent

Coming off of an undefeated season, it's no secret that there's plenty of talent surrounding the Mizzou volleyball program. Two Tigers, Carly Kan and Whitney Little, received honorable mention nods to AVCA's All-American team in addition to drawing praise as Preseason All-SEC selections.

But the skill within the team goes beyond the roster that Mizzou puts on the court every game. Head coach Wayne Kreklow added volunteer assistant Dawei Shen this year to his pair of former stars Lindsay James and Deng Yang, creating a unique atmosphere where the coaches can push the players on the court with their skill.

"You don't have to be a player to be a great coach," Kreklow said. "But if you were a great player and you bring all of the attributes to the table with it, the fact that you were a great player gives you that instant credibility. Kids will listen just because they know you've been there."

All three shined as players, and they bring with them no shortage of individual honors. James was Mizzou's first ever AVCA First Team All-American, recorded the most assists in school history with 6,097 and was a three-time All-Big 12 selection. In her time as Mizzou setter, the team posted an impressive 90-33 record, the best four-year winning percentage in program history.

A three-time Team USA selection, James became the first Mizzou volleyball player to earn an international medal as she helped lead the Americans to a bronze medal at the 2007 Pan-American Games. She was named Female Athlete of the Decade for Mizzou and was inducted into the Mizzou Athletics Hall of Fame this year.

Sophomore setter Loxley Keala has been benefitting from working with James, especially with switching positions from defensive specialist after her freshman season. Keala even said that having such a talented assistant coaching staff, including James, was a major reason why she committed to play for the Tigers.

"To have someone with that much experience and playing at that high of a level is so helpful," Keala said. "Coming to college from high school volleyball, it's so different -- the way people think, how fast it's going. To have someone that sees everything, and I don't see nearly as much as I should on the court, it's good to have someone there who does see."

Keala said that James' biggest strength as a coach is her ability to communicate adjustments and let the players know how to improve. Kreklow added that James' youth is also very helpful in her coaching, allowing her to connect with players on a level that other coaches might not.

Yang played under Kreklow at nearby Columbia College, a standout outside hitter for the Cougars. She was twice named a NAIA First Team All-American, and she was the NAIA National Player of the Year in 1999. She was also named MVP of the national tournament in which the Cougars finished first.

Outside of her collegiate experience, Yang was part of China's junior national team for three years and the country's national team for one, a member of the 1995 Chinese World Cup Championship team. She was named the best setter in Asia in 1993.

Yang specializes in coaching the outside hitters in addition to helping with the setters, and she played a critical role in helping Kan in her first season as a Tiger. Under Yang's tutelage, the freshman became the only outside hitter in the country to hit at a .350 clip with over 800 attempts.

"She is really all about the action, that's the biggest thing," Kan said of Yang. "She doesn't care if you shank it or hit it out. As long as you're hitting it correctly, that's all she cares about."

Kan said that the most helpful thing about having a coach like Yang is that she can still show the players what they have to do.

"She can definitely still play, last year she was blocking me all the time still," Kan said. "She can still show you what you're supposed to do. And we think `okay, you're a lot older than us and yet you're doing this way better than we can.' So it's that credibility to be that good still now, you just have to respect her."

Shen has taken on the role of coaching the middle blockers, including Preseason All-SEC selection Little. A new addition to the program, the Chinaman can boast two Chinese National Team nods in addition to being named the best middle blocker in China in 1997.

His coaching resume is equally impressive, having coached three different championship teams, split between America and China.

"So far he's been a really, really great addition," Kreklow said of Shen. "There's no substitute for having that experience and the technical skill. What really separates him is there are all kinds of really good players, but there's a big difference between being a really great player and also being a really great coach. He understands how difficult the things are that he asks the players to do, so he has patience, he cares, and he does a good job of conveying that to the athletes."

Little said that the transition in coaches for the middle blockers has been positive, and she has enjoyed her time with Shen.

"He's awesome," she said. "He's really fun to work with. He's also an amazing player, and that's a big help for us. Dawei is able to step in and play different positions, and it's great to have someone who has that kind of experience and who is still so good."

Little said one of the biggest benefits of having a coach like Shen is that it builds her confidence as a player as she plays against him every day in practice.

"The way I look at it, if I can block Dawei, then I can block anyone."

In addition to the talent among the coaches, another aspect of the staff that stands out is how long they have been together. Yang has been a member of Kreklow's staff for 14 years, starting her 15th season on August 29. James has been part of the Mizzou volleyball program in various capacities for almost a decade.

"It helps a lot because there's a lot of stability," Kreklow said about the assistants. "You get to a point where everybody knows each other, you know what to expect from everybody. It's hard if you've got a revolving door of people coming in."

Still, for the players, Keala says the skill of the coaches is what they most enjoy having around the program.

"We have such high respect for them," she said. "Not only are they great coaches, but they were also amazing players. We all look up to them. It helps when someone is so good and they're telling you to do something, obviously it's right. It's just really helpful."