ASU Names Bonaventure Head Volleyball Coach

AUGUSTA, Ga. – Sharon Bonaventure has been named the head coach of the Augusta State Volleyball program, ASU Director of Athletics Clint Bryant announced Thursday.

Bonaventure, the eighth head coach in the Jaguar Volleyball program’s 24-year history, has enjoyed success at every stop in her coaching career. She has compiled a 232-135 career record in 12 years during three different stints as a head coach, and recorded five 20-win seasons.

“After an intensive national search, we’re very fortunate to be able to attract a volleyball coach the caliber of Coach Bonaventure,” Bryant said. “She has experience not only in coaching, but in athletic administration as well. We look forward to her moving our volleyball program to the next level.”

Bonaventure spent the past three seasons as head coach at Franklin Pierce University in Rindge, New Hampshire. She posted three 18-win seasons and led the Ravens to a 54-41 record and to their highest Northeast-10 Conference finish in school history.

Prior to Franklin Pierce, Bonaventure served five seasons as head coach at West Chester University, an NCAA Division II program which competes in the highly competitive Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference. (PSAC). She compiled a 99-59 (.627) overall record at West Chester, including three 20-win seasons and a 31-19 (.620) clip in PSAC play. Bonaventure was twice named PSAC Coach of the Year and her recruiting efforts produced the PSAC Rookie of the Year each of the last three seasons.

In 2002, West Chester posted a 23-11 overall record and a share of the PSAC Eastern Division title for the first time in program history. The Golden Rams finished over .500 in each of Bonaventure's five seasons at the helm. The team also carried a 3.318 cumulative grade point average in 2005.

Prior to West Chester, Bonaventure spent four years as head volleyball coach at Div. III University of Maine-Machias. She also served the University as Director of Athletics for one year. Bonaventure led the Clippers to a 79-35 (.693) record and back-to-back Maine Athletic Conference titles in 1999 and 2000. Bonaventure received NAIA Region X Coach of the Year honors in 1999 and was a two-time State of Maine Coach of the Year. Her team received the State of Maine Sportsmanship Award in 1999 as well.

She has worked in varying capacities with the United States Olympic Committee in Colorado Springs, Colo., the University of Colorado-The Springs, Colorado College and The Colorado Springs School.

Bonaventure earned her Master's Degree in sports administration from the University of Northern Colorado in 1995 and her undergraduate degree in exercise sport and sciences from the University of Florida in 1993. She also attended Winthrop University for two years, where she was a member of the Eagles volleyball program as a freshman and sophomore, before transferring to Florida.

Bonaventure replaces former head coach Amber Cornett, who resigned on February 27 after four seasons on the Jaguar bench.