Dave Zelenock enters his eighth season as the winningest head coach of The Citadel volleyball team with a 99-100 record and a conference mark of 48-65.
In the 2024 season, the Bulldogs finished with a 15-14 overall record and an 8-8 conference record. The Citadel participated in three tournaments before entering conference play at Alabama, Nebraska, and Troy.
The Bulldogs were chosen as the preseason favorites in the Southern Conference, with Ali Ruffin and Belle Hogan receiving preseason honors.
Zelenock and the Bulldogs faced the No. 2 Nebraska Cornhuskers in front of a sold-out crowd of 8,607 in Lincoln, Nebraska, marking the highest away attendance the Bulldogs have ever played in.
The Bulldogs secured the No. 5 seed in the 2024 Southern Conference Tournament. They clinched a thrilling five-set match against Samford in the first round. The Citadel was eliminated in the semifinals by Mercer.
Under Zelenock's guidance, Ali Ruffin finished second all-time in kills with 1,599 and third all-time in digs with 1,531. Belle Hogan set the school record for career assists, finishing with 4,120. Jaelynn Elgert ended second all-time in digs with 1,554.
The Citadel finished as the season as the NCAA Statstical Champion for digs per set with 19.44.
In the 2023 season, 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, they achieved the first-ever regular season title. The Bulldogs entered the SoCon tournament as the No. 1 seed. Zelenock led the Bulldogs against ETSU in the first round and suffered a loss in the semifinals against Samford.
The Citadel achieved numerous records during the season, with 27 wins surpassing the old record of 14. The Bulldogs also achieved the longest winning streak in a season with 23 straight matches. They set records with the most kills in a season (1,616), kills per set (13.69), 1,490 assists, and 2,038 digs.
Numerous players under Zelenock's guidance set multiple program single-season records. Ali Ruffin set the record for most kills in a season with 529, Belle Hogan recorded 1,266 assists, and Jaelynn Elgert tallied 609 digs.
For the first time in the history of the Southern Conference, The Bulldogs collected four out of five major awards. Ali Ruffin was named the Southern Conference Player of the Year, Belle Hogan was named the Southern Conference Setter of the Year, Jaelynn Elgert was named Southern Conference Libero of the Year, and Zelenock was honored as the 2023 Southern Conference Coach of the Year.
The Bulldogs were selected to compete in the National Invitational Volleyball Championships and were matched up against East Carolina.
Zelenock led the Bulldogs to their first ever Southern Conference Championship during the 2021 season, which also marked the first conference title for a women’s sports team at The Citadel. The match was just the fifth all-time tournament victory for The Citadel, all of which were under Zelenock’s reign. The team received an automatic bid and made their first ever NCAA tournament appearance.
Under Zelenock’s guidance, the Bulldogs have racked in numerous conference recognitions. Sharlissa de Jesus was a two-time member of the All-Southern Conference First Team (2020, 2021), Player of the Month (November 2021) and SoCon Most Outstanding Player (2021). Ali Ruffin was named to the SoCon All-Freshman Team (2021), All-Tournament Team (2021) and was awarded the Rayna Taylor SoCon Freshmen of the Year (2021).
During Zelenock’s previous five-year stint of head coach at Tennessee Tech, he led his 2014 and 2015 Golden Eagle volleyball teams to back-to-back appearances in the Ohio Valley Conference (OVC) Tournament semifinal round. His 2014 and 2015 recruiting classes earned High Honorable Mention honors from PrepVolleyball.com for strength of recruiting class.
In the classroom, his teams earned the Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) Team Academic Award four times (2012-13, 2013-14, 2014-15, 2016-17) and 21 of his student-athletes earned spots on the TTU Athletic Director’s Honor Roll. The Golden Eagle volleyball program has the longest streak among all the teams within the TTU Athletic Department of uninterrupted semesters (35) with a team GPA exceeding 3.0, a stretch which began in fall 2000.
He also saw 21 student-athletes earn a spot on the TTU Athletic Director’s Honor Roll. Twenty-nine athletes also made the OVC Commissioner’s Academic Honor Roll during his time, and two earned a Medal of Honors for achieving a perfect 4.0 through both the fall and spring semesters.
The Golden Eagles also recorded their first All-OVC athlete and All-Newcomer team member under Zelenock’s tutelage. In the summer of 2015, one of his student-athletes, Cody Dodd earned a place as one of 36 athletes to participate in the U.S. Collegiate National Team (CNT) program.
Prior to his stint in Cookeville, Tennessee, Zelenock spent six seasons on the volleyball staff of Central Michigan, helping reshape the landscape of the program. He was named the associate head coach in 2009. With Zelenock on the recruiting trail, Central Michigan secured five-straight nationally ranked recruiting classes in his six seasons as well as two more that felt his impact even after he departed for the head job at Tennessee Tech.
Zelenock’s responsibilities at CMU included acting as the program’s recruiting coordinator and future opponent scouting. In the gym, he was in charge of outside hitter development/training.
During his six seasons at CMU, the Chippewas forged five winning seasons and a 107-78 overall record. In 2007, his first season on the staff, Zelenock’s scouting abilities helped CMU to its first 20-win season since 1985 and first postseason victory in 25 years. The Chippewas won 20 straight sets over the course of eight matches midway through the season. In 2008, the Chippewas missed their second straight 20-win season by the slimmest of margins (19-11).
CMU posted its fourth straight winning season in 2009, and reached the MAC Tournament semifinals for the first time since 1996. The Chippewas tallied postseason victories over Eastern Michigan and Northern Illinois to reach the semis.
The 2011 CMU team ended a 33-year drought as the Chippewas won the Mid-America Conference championship and earned the school’s first trip to the NCAA Volleyball Tournament.
Individually, during his six seasons on the staff Zelenock saw seven CMU players earn all-MAC honors as well as two capture all-freshman awards.
A 2005 graduate of Central Michigan, Zelenock also served as an assistant coach at Northwood University for two years and Delaware State for one season before returning to his alma mater in 2007. At Northwood, he helped the team to a 44-21 two-year record and two NCAA Tournament appearances.
As an undergraduate at CMU, Zelenock was a four-year starter for the men’s club volleyball team. He served as captain for three seasons, club president for two years and was a coach for two years.
He earned his bachelor’s degree from CMU in 2005, majoring in physical education with a minor in secondary physical science. Zelenock and his wife, Jamie, have two sons, Jacoby and Zander Lee.
