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Now in her second season at the helm of the Jaguar Volleyball
program, Sharon Bonaventure turned around Augusta State’s
fortunes in just one season.
Bonaventure, who was named the eighth head coach in school history
on April 23, 2009 by ASU Director of Athletics Clint Bryant, led
the Jags to 22 victories and to the second-winningest season in
school history in 2009.
In fact, in just one season, she orchestrated the second-biggest,
one-year turnaround in school history while tutoring Jessica
Howard, the first All-American in school history and a three-time,
All-Peach Belt Conference selection.
Bonaventure has enjoyed success at every stop in her coaching
career. She has compiled a 254-147 career record in 13 years during
three different stints as a head coach, and recorded five 20-win
seasons.
“After an intensive national search, we’re very
fortunate to be able to attract a volleyball coach the caliber of
Coach Bonaventure,” Bryant said. “She has experience
not only in coaching, but in athletic administration as well. We
look forward to her moving our volleyball program to the next
level.”
Bonaventure spent the past three seasons as head coach at Franklin
Pierce University in Rindge, New Hampshire. She posted three 18-win
seasons and led the Ravens to a 54-41 record and to their highest
Northeast-10 Conference finish in school history.
Prior to Franklin Pierce, Bonaventure served five seasons as head
coach at West Chester University, an NCAA Division II program which
competes in the highly competitive Pennsylvania State Athletic
Conference. (PSAC). She compiled a 99-59 (.627) overall record at
West Chester, including three 20-win seasons and a 31-19 (.620)
clip in PSAC play. Bonaventure was twice named PSAC Coach of the
Year and her recruiting efforts produced the PSAC Rookie of the
Year each of the last three seasons.
In 2002, West Chester posted a 23-11 overall record and a share of
the PSAC Eastern Division title for the first time in program
history. The Golden Rams finished over .500 in each of
Bonaventure’s five seasons at the helm. The team also carried
a 3.318 cumulative grade point average in 2005.
Prior to West Chester, Bonaventure spent four years as head
volleyball coach at Div. III University of Maine-Machias. She also
served the University as Director of Athletics for one year.
Bonaventure led the Clippers to a 79-35 (.693) record and
back-to-back Maine Athletic Conference titles in 1999 and 2000.
Bonaventure received NAIA Region X Coach of the Year honors in 1999
and was a two-time State of Maine Coach of the Year. Her team
received the State of Maine Sportsmanship Award in 1999 as
well.
She has worked in varying capacities with the United States
Olympic Committee in Colorado Springs, Colo., the University of
Colorado-The Springs, Colorado College and The Colorado Springs
School.
Bonaventure earned her Master’s Degree in sports
administration from the University of Northern Colorado in 1995 and
her undergraduate degree in exercise sport and sciences from the
University of Florida in 1993. She also attended Winthrop
University for two years, where she was a member of the Eagles
volleyball program as a freshman and sophomore, before transferring
to Florida.
After a standout collegiate career, Laura Ann Huskey is in her first season as an assistant coach with the Augusta State Volleyball program.
A 2012 graduate of Mars Hill (N.C.) College, Huskey played three seasons for the Lions after beginning her collegiate career at High Point (N.C.) University. She was a three-year starter for MHC at outside hitter and middle blocker and led the South Atlantic Conference in service aces in 2009.
Huskey, who will assist Bonaventure in all phases of the program, is a native of Austell, Ga., and attended high school at West Henderson High in Hendersonville, N.C. She is pursuing a master’s degree in Kinesiology.
