WINCHESTER, Va. – Shenandoah University Assistant Vice President and Athletic Director DeShon Foxx announced Thursday the hiring of Travis Abele as the university's first-ever head men's volleyball coach and new women's volleyball coach.

Abele joins Shenandoah after serving as a volunteer women's volleyball assistant coach at Division I Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU). During the 2024 season, the Rams achieved an 18-9 record overall, including a 16-2 mark in Atlantic 10 conference play. Under Abele's guidance, the Rams produced three All-Atlantic 10 recipients: Jasmine Knight and Julia Rienks earned First Team honors, while Lara Del Core received Second Team and All-Rookie citations. The team set a program record with 16 conference wins and secured the #2 seed in the A-10 tournament after finishing the regular season on a 14-game winning streak.

At VCU, Abele contributed to game-day operations, including warm-ups, in-game stat tracking, drawing up offensive plays during timeouts, and enhancing serve-receive and defensive/offensive systems. He also played a key role in player development, running position-specific drills and assisting with practice planning.

"We are excited to welcome Travis Abele as our head volleyball coach for both the men's and women's programs," said Foxx. "Travis brings a wealth of knowledge from his time in the ODAC, along with unmatched energy and passion, making him an exceptional leader to guide our student-athletes to success."

Before his tenure at VCU, Abele spent the 2019 season as an assistant coach at Richard Bland College of William & Mary, where the Statesmen posted a 14-13 record.

A 2019 graduate of Eastern Mennonite University (EMU), Abele played on the men's volleyball team and served as an assistant coach for the women's program. During his playing career, he was a two-time Royals Athlete of the Week, a two-time Continental Volleyball Conference (CVC) Player of the Week, and a two-year captain. He earned 2019 All-CVC Second Team honors and ranks in EMU's top 10 for career kills, blocks, aces, digs, and assists. Abele also led player workouts and team recovery sessions, exemplifying leadership on and off the court.

In addition to his collegiate coaching and playing experience, Abele has coached at various levels, including serving as the head coach for the River City Volleyball Academy 17&18 National Girls team and as the junior varsity head coach and varsity assistant coach at Hanover High School.

"I'm honored to be joining such a dynamic and forward-thinking university," Abele said. "Our goal is to build a strong foundation for both the men's and women's programs, fostering a culture of excellence, teamwork, and dedication."

Abele will spearhead the launch of the men's volleyball program, the 23rd intercollegiate sport at Shenandoah University, announced in December. He is also tasked with rebuilding the women's program to compete at a high level within the competitive ODAC conference. The men's program will begin with a modified schedule in January 2026 and will become a full conference member as the ninth men's volleyball team.

"I'm excited about the opportunity to work with these talented student-athletes, and I'm committed to creating a program that not only competes at the highest level but also develops leaders on and off the court!" Abele added.