UNC volleyball coach fosters positive culture, Tar Heels off to 12-1 start

With UNC women's volleyball up two sets over Syracuse, the Orange took a two point lead late in the third set. But Mike Schall didn't move.

The UNC head coach kept a calm demeanor, trusting his players to close out the match. It's typical of the second-year head coach and something his players have grown accustomed to.

“I've never had a head coach just kind of sit back and be like, ‘Okay, we trust you,’” senior outside hitter Mabrey Shaffmaster said. 

With a clear goal in mind — UNC volleyball returning to the NCAA tournament for the first time since 2021 — Schall is focused on more than wins. He's building a positive and unified culture that focuses on improving daily.

When former head coach Joe Sagula had an opening on his coaching staff in 2018, he selected Schall to fill the role. Sagula said that Schall was one of the first people he called, knowing that he could help foster a new culture within the UNC volleyball program.

“We had a brand new staff, so I was looking to establish a new way going forward,” Sagula said. “And he was part of that.”

Schall first began as a UNC assistant coach in February 2018, following seven years as the Triangle Volleyball Club associate director. Before that, Schall got his start coaching in 1994 as an assistant at Penn State, where he played men's volleyball. Schall remained a part of the Penn State staff for 12 years. 

That culture took time to change, but in 2021, the Tar Heels returned to the NCAA tournament for the first time since the 2016 run into the Sweet 16. But a loss to Tennessee in the first round ended their 21-9 season.

In 2023, after five years as an assistant coach, Schall was chosen to become the next head coach of the North Carolina volleyball team. His first season, however, was up and down as UNC finished the season with a 13-14 record. The Tar Heels did not qualify for the NCAA tournament. 

Despite the disappointing season, the team chooses not to think about what happened last year. Instead, Schall continued building on what Sagula hired him for: improving the culture. 

“In terms of our mindset, we just want to compete every day and get better every day,” Schall said. 

Schall also attributes their current success to the energy provided both on and off the court. Sophomore outside hitter Safi Hampton said she has noticed that the culture shift has continued into this year.

“He's super positive,” Hampton said. “He just wants to make sure everybody's having a good time and everyone feels valued. And I think that's a really good trait to have in a coach.”

While the players have been warned by referees for being too celebratory on the court, their head coach remains quiet and composed on the sideline.

“He doesn't get overly emotional,” Sagula said.

Still, Schall encourages his team to be loud. The positive environment — a combination of the energy of the players and the steady stoicism of Schall — has been, and continues to be, a catalyst for their success this season. Schall emphasized that while winning is not everything, it does feel pretty great.

And as the team is off to a 4-0 start in the ACC following back-to-back sweeps over Duke, Schall's new culture has the team in position to make its first NCAA tournament since 2021.

“I feel like the coaches also have found their groove,” Shaffmaster said. “We've gotten more comfortable with them, and, so far, it's worked out.”

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