Muhlenberg college

Coaching Staff:

Head Coach Alexa Keckler
Alexa Keckler, the coach at Centennial Conference rival Gettysburg for the previous five years, was named head volleyball coach at Muhlenberg College in May 2010 and has positioned the Mules as an up-and-coming program.

Inheriting a young, rebuilding team, she coached the Mules to a 6-21 record in her first season, including four wins in their last six matches. But in 2011, Muhlenberg improved to 10-18 and came within one win of earning a CC playoff berth.

Keckler compiled a record of 96-55 (.636) in her five years at Gettysburg, including a 40-10 (.800) CC mark. The Bullets posted at least 18 wins in each of her five seasons and captured their league-best 11th CC championship in 2005. In 2008, Gettysburg was 9-1 in the CC, earning the right to host the conference playoffs.

In Keckler’s five years as head coach, 19 Gettysburg players landed on the All-CC team, including six on the first team.

Before taking over at Gettysburg, Keckler piloted her alma mater of Smithsburg (Md.) High School to an 18-2 record in 2002 and guided Littlestown (Pa.) High School to an 18-5 mark and a district playoff appearance in 2004. In between those assignments, she served as head coach of the Tri-State FCA Volleyball Club’s 15-and-under girls team, leading that squad to a 49-25 record in 2003-04.

An all-region most valuable player and junior college All-American at Hagerstown Community College, Keckler earned her associate’s degree in 1998 before graduating from Trevecca Nazarene (Tenn.) University with a bachelor’s degree in sports and exercise science in 2000. She was a two-year letterwinner with the TNU volleyball program, earning TranSouth Athletic Conference academic honors both seasons.

She acquired a master’s degree in human performance from Frostburg State University in 2002 and also has CAP 2 coaching certification from USA Volleyball. In addition to her coaching duties, she has served as the director of the Mid-Maryland Volleyball Camp since 1996.

Keckler and her husband, Drew University men’s basketball head coach Darryl Keckler, have two daughters, Olivia, 5, and Camryn, 2.

Assistant Coach Kate Yoder

Kate Yoder joins the Muhlenberg staff for the 2011 season after an outstanding four-year playing career at Gettysburg - the first three of those years under current Mule head coach Alexa Keckler. Yoder earned All-Centennial Conference recognition all four years, including first-team accolades as a sophomore. She closed her career near the top of several career lists, ranking 14th in kills with 950 and eighth in blocks with 287. As a senior, the 5-10 middle hit .309 in CC matches and recorded a triple-double against Elizabethtown. A native of nearby Emmaus, Yoder graduated from Gettysburg in 2011 with a degree in health sciences.

Assistant Coach Allen Cerullo

Allen Cerullo joined the Muhlenberg coaching staff in 2006 after spending the previous four years as coach of the Lehigh Valley Christian High School volleyball team and the William Allen High School junior varsity squad. He has also coached club volleyball, including the Court Authority Volleyball Academy, since 1999 while holding a Level II coaching certification from the Coaching Accreditation Program. Cerullo, who earned his bachelor's degree from DeSales, has worked at PPL for the last 30 years.

Student Assistant Coach Christopher Zumberge

A junior at Muhlenberg, Christopher Zumberge is in his third year as a student assistant coach with the volleyball team. Zumberge won three letters as a middle hitter for nearby Parkland High School, earning all-state honors as a senior.