The Elizabethtown College women’s volleyball Head Coach Randall Kreider announced Jan. 29 that Terry Hutchinson and Crystal Agnew will be joining the program as assistant coaches this spring.

Terry Hutchinson is a sports performance trainer and volleyball instructor at Spooky Nook Sports in Manheim, Pa. Hutchinson became involved with the Blue Jays during the Fall 2013 season as their sports performance trainer. His role on the coaching staff for the team will concentrate on defense and blocking, and he will continue his role of sports performance training. “Hutch brings a wealth of playing experience and knowledge gleaned from the game’s best coaches,” Kreider said.

Hutchinson played volleyball at East Stroudsburg University, and in 1995 he was selected to the U.S. Olympic Festival, a part of the U.S. National Team training program. Hutchinson coached four years at Manheim Township High School, and this will be his tenth year as a club volleyball coach. Last year, Hutchinson, was an assistant coach for Franklin and Marshall College, a team that the Blue Jays will face early in their 2014 season.

The upcoming season will be Hutchinson’s second year coaching at the collegiate level. He is excited about the chance to take the Blue Jays to the next level as a team and to take them to the Landmark Conference finals.

“I’ve known and trusted Randall for a long time, so I think it’s a good opportunity for me to grow as a college level coach, learn from him and fill a niche that he was looking for,” Hutchinson said.

Crystal Agnew is an Etown alumna originally from Queensbury, N.Y. Agnew went through the Etown volleyball program, led by Kreider, as a setter and graduated from Etown in 2011 with a degree in mathematics and a minor in secondary education. During her Etown volleyball career, she received Second Team All-Commonwealth Conference Honors in 2009 and 2010. She currently teaches algebra at Hempfield High School. She received her graduate degree in education in December 2013.

In the past, Agnew volunteered as a coach at the middle school and high school level. “I’m very excited to get to know the girls on the team and support them in their journey through college,” Agnew said. Her role as a part of the coaching staff will concentrate on setter training and team fundraising. “I was very excited to have Crystal aboard, as she is very well tuned with our goals and expectations for the setter position,” Kreider said.

Former Assistant Coach Gary Kreider retired after coaching for 10 years for the Blue Jays. “Uncle Gary has provided calm mentorship for our Blue Jay team over the past 10 years,” Kreider said. “Uncle Gary’s hidden value has always been as a true sounding board for me in just about every decision we’ve made.” Gary is called Uncle Gary by many because he is Randall Kreider’s uncle.

Kreider was searching for certain characteristics he would look for when adding to the coaching staff. Kreider searched for people who would engage with the team, who would be available to commit to being at practices and games and who had experience playing and coaching volleyball at a high level. “I wanted a coach or coaches that could complement my strengths and offset any weaknesses,” Kreider said. “In sports, as well as in life, it’s helpful to surround yourself with great people and I think we’ve done that with this staff.”

The women’s volleyball team and its coaches are ready to enter the Landmark Conference with confidence and intensity. Kreider is confident in his team and the new coaches. “Both assistant coaches will be able to help push this team to new heights,” Kreider said.