JACKSON, Tenn. - Union University Director of Athletics Tommy Sadler has named Kristen Blackburn as the next volleyball head coach. Blackburn, a former Lady Bulldog volleyball player, was the assistant coach for the program in 2022, while working as a volunteer assistant coach in 2020 and 2021. 

Union Director of Athletics said, "We are excited to have Kristen as our volleyball coach. She is passionate about the game and is a great fit for our mission. I look forward to the great things she will do with our program"

Blackburn said, "I am so thankful and deeply humbled for this opportunity. Union has been such a place of growth for me, and I am excited to experience what God has planned through this position. This team is made up of great girls that strive to grow on and off the court and it is a huge blessing to be able to coach them. I pray to bring the girls closer to God, each other, and the coaching staff. I am looking forward to further building the program I love to the next level."

Blackburn (Goggin) played for four years participating in 370 sets from 2016-2019. As a senior in 2019, she played on the program's first team to make a Gulf South Conference Tournament appearance. In the three previous years, Blackburn was a coach for three more GSC Tournament teams, including 2022's record setting year. The 2022 season, Union earned the No. 2 seed and finished runner-up in the tournament, both program bests.

As a player, Blackburn was a server specialist, recording 116 aces in her career, including a career-high 50 in 2017. She spent most of her career as a defensive specialist and libero, recording 448 career digs, including a career-best 197 in 2017. Blackburn also tacked on 52 kills and 30 assists in her career. 

In addition to her time as a volunteer assistant, Blackburn also spent a season as a graduate assistant, working in athletics administration at Union.

In 2020, Blackburn graduated from Union with a degree in athletic training. She is near completion of her Master's in Education degree with a concentration in sports management from Union. 

Blackburn is from Yucaipa, California where she graduated from Aquinas High school in 2016. During her high school career, she played for several club volleyball championship teams and was named MVP and all-league of her high school team. 

On April 17, 2022, she married Sean Blackburn, the current women's basketball assistant coach at Union. She is the daughter of Walt and Colleen Goggin.

-UNION-