Morris Davis
Executive Director and Coach

Former Head Coach at St. Mary's College of Maryland where he had a successful nine-year tenure, amassing over 170 wins. Coach Davis established a winning tradition into the Seahawk volleyball program.  Under his guidance, St. Mary's recorded six consecutive winning seasons.  The Seahawks also posted five 20-win campaigns.

He coached two All-America selections as well as four all-region selections.  Davis also mentored seven Seahawks to 16 All-Capital Athletic Conference selections, including seven first team awards.  The school's first-ever AVCA Mid-Atlantic Region Freshman of the Year, and three CAC Rookies of the Year (2005, 2006, and 2012) passed through the program during Davis' watch.

In his final season at the helm of the Seahawks, Davis guided St. Mary's to the CAC semifinals for the fourth time in his career.  He coached three All-CAC picks, including two first-teamers and the CAC Rookie of Year.

The 2007 CAC Coach of the Year, he mentored the program's first-ever All-American while guiding St. Mary's to its first-ever appearance in the CAC title match.  Davis also guided the Seahawks to a school record for most wins in a season with 30.

His mindset of winning comes from being involved with volleyball for over 25 years both as a player and coach, including 15 years as the head coach for the All-Navy and US Armed Forces women's volleyball teams, while having also coached at the club level.  During the 1999 and 2000 seasons, Davis served as the head varsity coach at McDonough HS in Pomfret, Md., where he led the school to a two-year record of 39-3 and a No. 2 statewide ranking.  The team finished as the regional runner-up twice during his tenure.

Born on the island of St. Thomas in the US Virgin Islands, Davis is a 20-year veteran of the US Navy.  He earned a B.S. in Management of Technical Operations from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in 2001.

Michelle Ruble
Executive Director and Coach

Michelle attended La Plata High school and participated on the varsity volleyball, basketball, softball teams, was a also a member of the band, cheerleading squad, and SGA.  Upon graduation she went the Elon University in North Carolina, where she was a four-year varsity volleyball middle hitter/blocker.  Her leadership earned her a position as Elon's captain for  three-years and in her senior year was named to the Academic All-American team.

Michelle began her coaching career in athletics as the Head Volleyball Coach at College of Southern Maryland in 1991 until 2010. In 2001, she was hired as to full-time position as the Athletic Coordinator for CSM. Again, because of Michelle's leadership qualities she was promoted to her current position as the Director of Student Life and Athletics, in 2007. During her tenure at CSM, Michelle has accumulated many accolades and among her awards and honors she was MDJUCO Coach of the Year for Volleyball in 2002 and 2010, and MDJUCO Athletic Director of the Year for 2002-03.

Michelle served as the NJCAA Region XX Women's Regional Director for 10 years. She currently serves as the NJCAA Region XX Assistant Women's Regional Director, NJCAA Co-Chair for Nominations and Elections, and on the NJCAA committees for Women's Lacrosse and Leaders for Life. Formerly Michelle was a member of the NJCAA Executive Committee, and the Chair of Women's Lacrosse and Swimming and Diving committees. At the conference level, she served on the Maryland Junior College Advisory committee for 8 years and is currently the volleyball liaison. Michelle is also appointed to as an Executive Member of the National Association of Two Year Athletic Administrators in 2013.

She has been a head coach for the Charles County Juniors Club program and is now working with Southern Maryland Volleyball Club as a Head Coach and Executive Director.
Michelle's service does not stop with CSM, she is very active in the Southern Maryland community. She is a member of the executive women's group Zonta of Charles County where she currently serves on the board of directors.

Michelle earned her Master's in Business Administration from the College of Notre Dame of Maryland and her BA in - Business and Public Administration from Elon University, NC.

Nila Toribio Straka
Executive Director and Coach

Nila Toribio ­Straka Technical Director / Clinician Experience includes over thirty­eight years of coaching volleyball as a head coach of Division I (Georgetown University), NJCAA (College of Southern Maryland/Charles County Community College) and assistant coach for George Mason University and the All Navy volleyball team as well as head coach at Westlake High School.  During her tenure at Charles County Community College, her teams made 4 final four NJCAA appearances and finished 2nd in the Nation at the NJCAA National Championships in 1985.  While at Georgetown, she served as the President of the Big East volleyball conference and her teams were in the championship round of the Big East Conference finishing 2nd in 1992 and 1993.  At George Mason, she assisted the Patriots in capturing 5 CAA championships, which qualified the team as a participant in five 1st and 2nd rounds of play in the NCAA tournament.  She has coached 6 All Americans and in 1985, the NJCAA Tournament MVP.  Nila received Coach of the Year and District IV Coach of the year honors in 1983, 1984, 1985.

In 2013, Nila was awarded the AVCA Victory Club award for 600 + career wins by the American Volleyball Coaches Association.  Her teaching career began at Suitland High School then later she became a assistant professor at Charles County Community College teaching health and physical education for 10 years.  She was a student teacher supervisor and instructor for physical education department at George Mason University.  Upon leaving the coaching and teaching, she and her husband Joe ventured into the business world assisting in building and co­owners of the Capital Clubhouse.  After being diagnosed with breast cancer, she combined her love of volleyball and helped to expand the Side­Out Foundation to a national fund raising organization that raises funds for breast cancer research as well as to educate youth about the disease throughout the sport of volleyball.  Currently, Nila one of the Directors and Clinician for the Southern Maryland Volleyball Club and is a team sales rep for Kilex International promoting athletic equipment and apparel.  She is a key member of Sister at Heart, breast cancer foundation in Southern Maryland.  In 2014, Nila helped establish and serve as Vice President of the Rita M. Cacas Foundation, an organization that assist in preserving the Filipino culture and history in the Washington, DC Metropolitan Region.

Nila lives on Cobb Island, Maryland with her husband, Joe and son, Kiel.  Sons, Eric and Paul as well as her 5 grandkids live in Michigan and son, Marc resides in San Francisco.  She earned her Master's in Recreation and Health from the University of Colorado and her BS in physical education, recreation and health from Frostburg State University.

Skylar Banting
Coach

Skylar has been playing volleyball for a total of 9 years starting off in the sixth grade as an outside hitter where she quickly developed a love for the sport. As she got older, she continued playing volleyball in high school at McDonough for JV in 2013-2014. Skylar was then transferred over to St. Charles High School, playing volleyball from 2015-2017. She is now currently at College of Southern Maryland getting her Associates Degree in Art and has played volleyball as a Defensive Specialist and a Serving Specialist. 

This will be Skylar's second-year Coaching for SOMDVC, and she hopes to continue learning as a coach to better herself as a player as well.

Kimberly Brewer
Coach

Kimberly played volleyball for Charles County Juniors for 7 years, while also playing for Thomas Stone High School as an outside hitter for 4 years. During her senior year, she was awarded All County Second Team Player. After graduating, she began playing at the College of Southern Maryland between 2012-2014 as a libero.  In her freshman year, Kimberly was awarded the All Maryland JUCO Second Team player award and best defensive player at CSM. Her team was also the regional runner up in 2012.

After graduating with a degree in Criminal Justice, Kimberly started working with the Charles County Sheriff’s Office and has played sports year around including Women’s Volleyball, Co Ed Volleyball, Co Ed Sand Volleyball, Co Ed Softball and Co Ed kickball.

Kimberly has been coaching in the Southern Maryland area since 2012 and has coached at John Hanson Middle School, Thomas Stone High School, the College of Southern Maryland, Southern Maryland Volleyball Club, Charles County Recreation, La Plata High School and is currently the head coach at Westlake High School and will begin coaching her second year in 2019.

James "JD" Hanna (Coach)

Jenica Leonard
Coach

Originally from Seattle Washington, Jenica began playing volleyball at the young age of five, under the instruction of her mother, Coach Yvonne Dowell. As a young player, Jenica’s passion and love for the game grew as she continued to play through grade school. During Jenica’s high school years, she was fortunate to lead her team to three consecutive perfect seasons winning the Trifecta of Metro, District, and State level matches. Jenica was accorded Most Valuable Player honors in statewide balloting for the All-State Team for two consecutive years. Following HS, she was awarded a full athletic scholarship to attend the historically black college Howard University. While attending Howard, Jenica was placed on the All-MEAC divisional team for the position of Libero.  Jenica’s coaching career began while attending college during the spring and summer months coaching 12U team at the Space Needle Volleyball Foundation and clinics at Northwest Junior’s Volleyball Club in Seattle, WA. After relocating to the DC metro area, she joined the Adult League of USAV Chesapeake Region and played on several teams and began coaching for Maryland Juniors Volleyball club. Shortly after joining and becoming involved in CHRVA Volleyball, Jenica advanced her career in becoming the Assistant Varsity Coach at St. Stephens and St Agnes Schools in VA and coaching with SOMD volleyball club. Currently Jenica has now embarked on a new journey as the new Head Coach at the College of Southern Maryland.

Christine Owens
Coach

Coach Owens believes that sports are a great platform for kids to learn a lot about who they are physically, emotionally, and intellectually.  Teaching athletic skill and watching a child learn and gain confidence is very rewarding for her.   A graduate of Lackey High School, she was a three-sport athlete and is a member of the Lackey Athletic Hall of Fame.  In addition to high school athletics, she played for the first club volleyball team in Charles County for 3 years.  Coach Owens was offered full rides to play at University of Michigan and UMBC.  However, she accepted a full scholarship to play at University of Maryland.   She was trained as a middle hitter/blocker.  She played on a few club teams after college and continues to play wherever she can.  

 Coach Owens’ coaching experience started at Westlake High School for four years (1992-96) as an assistant varsity coach.  She then coached and built the Boys Varsity volleyball program at Grace Christian Academy (GCA) for eight years and coached Girls Varsity at GCA for four years.  In 2007, she coached the GCA Boys Varsity to the Championship Finals.  In 2015, she returned to coaching the middle program at GCA for 2 years.  More recently, Coach Owens has coached the last two years with the Southern Maryland Club Volleyball.  She is the new Head Varsity Volleyball Coach at LaPlata High School.  In addition to coaching teams, she has worked at numerous volleyball camps and clinics in Maryland and Delaware. 

She graduated with a degree in Math Education and has been a math teacher for 20+ years.  Currently, she is the Math Resource Manager and an Adjunct professor at the College of Southern Maryland.  She is a mother of 5 children and has 1 grandson.

Tom Raleigh
Coach

Tom picked up a volleyball in the 1980s intramurally in high school.  It was only through a love of all ball sports after having played basketball and baseball that led him to the volleyball court.  Since that time, he devoted many years to developing himself as a volleyball player. He  began playing  after high school and college in the Charles county competitive men's leagues in the 90s. That was quickly followed by several years of playing in the coed leagues.    

He has coached boys baseball and lacrosse for several years for elementary and middle school ages ages. Tom’s coaching started off in the Charles county rec league where his daughter spent several years developing her own skills and he began developing his coaching skills. He looks forward to the opportunity of continuing to developing his coaching skills while passing on his love and knowledge of the game to a new generation of players.   

Jasmine Ring 
Coach

Coming Soon

Ron Swann
Coach

Ron graduated from McDonough High School, where he was a self taught volleyball player due to the lack of opportunities for males to compete competitively in the sport. In 1995 he went on to play volleyball for NCAA Division III Men’s volleyball team at Johnson &  Wales University in Rhode Island before transferring to Towson University where he played club ball for the remainder of his college career.

Since college,  Ron has been an active participant in the game, traveling throughout the country playing in the highly competitive USAV and NAGVA organizations. 

Ron started his coaching caring in 2004 as an assistant coach with the Southern Maryland Juniors volleyball club, as well as, assisting several high schools in the area with camps and clinics for those seeking individual training.  In 2005, Ron join the coaching staff at The College of Southern Maryland and served as the assistant volleyball coach and then the associate Head coach for 14 season.  In 2015, Ron helped to establish the first competitive all - inclusive DC Pride Volleyball League where he became the first Director of Skills Development.  In 2018, Ron joined the Southern Maryland Athletic Conference coaching staff where he became the Head Junior Varsity Girls' Volleyball Coach at Maurice J. McDonough High School and then Head Varsity Coach in 2019

He finds great joy in playing, coaching and teaching the game of volleyball and has made it a goal to pass on his knowledge and experience to those aspiring athletes in hopes that they too will pass on the tradition and help someone else achieve their dreams and aspirations.

Shirley Truesdell
Coach

Shirley Truesdell has been coaching volleyball for the past 19 years at various levels. She was a part of the La Plata coaching staff from 2001-2007. There she was the head JV coach and assisted with varsity. She coached the middle school program at Somers during those years as well. She also helped coach juniors for 2 years during that time. After moving to PA, Shirley became the head varsity coach for Big Spring High School from 2008-2012. She was also the head Middle school coach at Big Spring. Through this she has organized high school tournaments and camps for the elementary aged students. Upon returning to Maryland, Shirley has been involved in the parks and rec program working with the 7th and 8th grade girls and she has been coaching the Piccowaxen middle school team. Shirley loves the game and sharing her knowledge with players. Nothing is better than watching players grow and becoming the best they can be.

Krystle Villanueva 
Social Media

Years of Experience:
9 Years of Experience

Teams Coached:

• SOMD Middle/Elementary School League (2022)
• Charles County Parks & Recreation Middle School League (2018)  

If you played volleyball, what position and team?

• Outside Hitter, Oxon Hill High School (Varsity)
• Outside Hitter,  U.S. Army Garrison Baumholder, Germany
• Outside Hitter,  Filipino American Basketball Association (FABA)
• Outside Hitter, Philippine American Volleyball Association (PAVL)
• All Around, Recreation Teams: Servivors & helSETIca             

Achievements / Notable Accomplishments:
Women's Champions of the Inter-City Philippine Athletic Sports Association (PASA) Tournament

Fun Facts:
Krystle holds a bachelor’s in graphic communication from the University of Maryland University College with a minor in Business Administration. She owns a small creative agency, Kwento LLC, specializing in graphic design. She currently manages SOMD's social media and helps with the website.