DAVIS, Calif. - Jeffrey Schmitz, a four-year professional setter and an alumnus of both Ball State and UC Irvine, has joined the UC Davis women's volleyball staff as an assistant coach, announced head coach Dan Conners Friday. Schmitz replaces Mike Terrill, who earned Pasadena City College's head women's volleyball coaching spot earlier this summer.

Schmitz completes Conners' full-time staff, as former Aggie standout Katie Quinn returned to her alma mater as an assistant coach last March, while Bronson Oliveira came aboard as a director of operations in May.

"We are excited to add Jeff to the coaching staff," said Conners. "He has a wealth of high-level playing experience and training. His energy and work ethic will help fuel our practices and match preparation. Jeff will take the lead in our opponent scouting during the season and be a major component in our training and match preparation."

Originally from Fenton, Missouri, Schmitz began his playing career at Ball State, where he shared Midwestern Intercollegiate Volleyball Association Freshman of the Year honors. He helped the Cardinals to as high as a No. 6 national ranking and a berth in the MIVA title match as a sophomore before transferring to UC Irvine. Schmitz redshirted in 2009, when the Anteaters won the NCAA championship. He graduated from UCI in 2011 with a degree in sociology.

"After completing my undergraduate at UC Irvine and pursuing a professional career overseas, I am excited to be returning to California and join the UC Davis family," Schmitz sad. "I am truly thankful for the opportunity to join the traditions and values the Aggie volleyball program embodies, and I look forward to what the future holds here UC Davis."

Schmitz played four years with Saisonabschluss Supervolley, a professional club in Enns, Austria. He has 12 years of club coaching experience at St. Louis High Performance, and has served on volleyball camp stafffs in the U.S., Brazil and throughout Europe. UC Davis will be Schmitz' first foray into collegiate coaching.

UC Davis went 15-15 overall with a 10-6 record in the tough Big West Conference in 2015. The Aggies enter their third season under Coach Conners.