Coach Cathy George
On March 13, 2023, the Grand Rapids Rise announced Cathy George as the team’s head coach and director of volleyball operations. Six months later, she transitioned to the role of VP of volleyball operations. In her 36th season as a head coach, George guided the Rise to the Pro Volleyball Federation championship match in the franchise’s inaugural 2024 season.
The winningest coach in the history of Michigan State’s volleyball program, George led the Spartans for 17 seasons (2005-21) and totaled 35 years as a collegiate head coach, including 11 seasons (1994-2004) at Western Michigan. Upon her retirement from MSU in January 2022, her 667 career wins ranked 15th among active Division I coaches and third in the Big Ten.
George began her DI coaching career at UT-Arlington in 1989, reaching the Final Four in her first season at the helm and winning three Southland Conference titles (1989, 1990 and 1992) in five years. She was the first female head coach to lead a team to the NCAA Division I Final Four. George got her start as a collegiate head coach at the NCAA DII level at North Dakota State, serving from 1987-88.
George, with her husband Jerry, have two sons, T.J. and Conner, both of whom are MSU graduates.
The winningest coach in the history of Michigan State’s volleyball program, George led the Spartans for 17 seasons (2005-21) and totaled 35 years as a collegiate head coach, including 11 seasons (1994-2004) at Western Michigan. Upon her retirement from MSU in January 2022, her 667 career wins ranked 15th among active Division I coaches and third in the Big Ten.
George began her DI coaching career at UT-Arlington in 1989, reaching the Final Four in her first season at the helm and winning three Southland Conference titles (1989, 1990 and 1992) in five years. She was the first female head coach to lead a team to the NCAA Division I Final Four. George got her start as a collegiate head coach at the NCAA DII level at North Dakota State, serving from 1987-88.
George, with her husband Jerry, have two sons, T.J. and Conner, both of whom are MSU graduates.
