CHARLESTON, S.C. – The Citadel Director of Athletics Mike Capaccio has officially announced a four-year contract extension for head volleyball coach Dave Zelenock with a possible two-year extension, locking down Zelenock through the 2028 season.

"We are proud to announce the extension of Coach Zelenock's contract," Capaccio said. "Coach Zelenock has been instrumental in elevating our volleyball program, instilling discipline, teamwork, and a winning spirit that aligns perfectly with The Citadel's values. We are excited to continue this journey under their exceptional leadership and look forward to achieving even greater success together."

This past year, Zelenock led the Bulldogs to their most dominant season in program history. After posting a 27-4 overall record and a 14-2 conference record, The Citadel clinched its first-ever regular-season conference title. The Bulldogs entered the SoCon tournament as the No. 1 seed, knocking off ETSU in the first round before suffering a loss in the semifinals against Samford.
 
The Citadel achieved numerous records during the season, most notably racking up 27 wins to surpass the previous mark of 14. The Bulldogs also posted the longest winning streak in a season with 23 straight victories. The 2023 corps also set team records for the most kills in a season (1,616), kills per set (13.69), total assists (1,490) and total digs (2,038).
 
Numerous players under Zelenock's guidance set multiple program single-season records as well with Ali Ruffin setting the mark for most kills in a season (529), Belle Hogan registering a new assist record (1,266) and Jaelynn Elgert tallying a new dig total (609).

"Committing to a long-term contract demonstrates a steadfast commitment to bolstering the volleyball team and securing its future," Zelenock said. "Establishing a stable and enduring staff is essential for providing unwavering support to student-athletes and realizing our program's objectives and goals."
 
The Bulldogs collected four out of five major awards for the first time in the Southern Conference's history. Ali Ruffin was named the Southern Conference Player of the Year, Belle Hogan garnered Southern Conference Setter of the Year honors, Jaelynn Elgert scored Southern Conference Libero of the Year accolades, and Zelenock captured the 2023 Southern Conference Coach of the Year award.

The Bulldogs were selected to compete in the National Invitational Volleyball Championships and matched against East Carolina. 

Just two seasons prior, Zelenock and the Bulldogs won the 2021 Southern Conference Championship, a first-ever women's team title in The Citadel athletics' history.

Zelenock enters his seventh season as the winningest head coach in program history with a record of 84-85 and a SoCon mark of 40-57.

For more information and score updates on The Citadel volleyball team, please visit CitadelSports.com or follow @CitadelVB on X and @CitadelVolleyball on Instagram.
 
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