KELLI MILLER PHILLIPS' COACHING HIGHLIGHTSBall State: Head Coach, 2016-Present (Entering 10th Season in 2025)   - Overall Record: 171-98   - MAC Record: 105-44   - 2021 & 2022 MAC Coach of the Year   - 2021 AVCA Midwest Region Coach of the Year   - 2019, 2021 & 2022 NCAA Division I Women's Volleyball Championship Participant   - 2018 & 2023 NIVC Participant   - 2019 & 2021 MAC Tournament Champions   - 2021 & 2022 MAC Regular Season Champions   - 2017, 2018, 2019, 2021 & 2022 MAC West Division Champions   - 2019, 2021, 2023 & 2024 MAC Freshman of the Year   - 2018 & 2022 MAC Setter of the Year   - 20 All-MAC First Team Honorees   - Five All-MAC Second Team/Honorable Mention Honorees   - 10 MAC All-Freshman Team Honorees   - Nine-Time AVCA Team Academic Award   - 74 Academic All-MAC Selections   - 11 MAC Women’s Volleyball Distinguished Scholar Athletes

Ball State: Assistant Coach, 2010-2015   - 2015 AVCA Thirty Under 30 Award   - Helped her Student-Athletes Earn 20 All-MAC Honors and Three MAC All-Freshman Team Awards   - Mentored Alyssa Rio to 2010 CVU.Com National Libero of the Year Honors   - Helped Ball State Claim the 2010 MAC Regular Season Title   - Helped Ball State Earn an At-large Berth into the 2011 NCAA Tournament   - Helped Ball State capture the 2013 MAC West Division Championship

The two-time Mid-American Conference (2021 & 2022) and 2021 American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) Midwest Region Coach of the Year, Muncie native Kelli Miller Phillips has shown why she is considered one of the top up-and-coming coaches in the sport over her eight seasons at the helm of the Ball State women's volleyball program. She enters her 10th season at the program's mentor in 2025 and recently signed a contract extension through the 2029 campaign.

Recognized as an AVCA Thirty Under 30 Award winner just prior to accepting the head coaching position at Ball State in 2016, Phillips has led the Cardinals to the NCAA Division I Women's Volleyball Championship in three of the past six seasons, including an at-large berth in 2022.

Even more impressive, she became just the second coach in the first 50 years of Ball State women’s volleyball history to lead the Cardinals to an NCAA Division I Women’s Volleyball Championship first-round victory when BSU topped Big Ten foe Michigan in 2021.

In addition to the program’s third-ever NCAA win in 2021, Phillips has guided BSU to two MAC Volleyball Championship crowns (2019 & 2021), two MAC regular season titles (2021 & 2022), and five MAC West Division championships (2017, 2018, 2019, 2021 & 2022). She also helped the program earn trips to the National Invitational Volleyball Championship (NIVC) in 2018 and 2023.

Phillips owns a 171-98 (105-44 MAC) record as Ball State’s head coach, with her 2021 squad becoming just the fourth to reach the 30-win plateau at BSU with its 30-4 ledger. In fact, the team establishing program records for winning percentage (.882), fewest losses in a season (4) and hitting percentage in a season (.265), while tying the program record for most consecutive matches won (20). 

For their play on the court, Phillips’ student-athletes have claimed 20 All-MAC First Team honors, five All-MAC Second Team/Honorable Mention accolades, 10 MAC All-Freshman awards, the 2019, 2021, 2023 & 2024  MAC Freshman of the Year honors and the 2018 & 2022 MAC Setter of the Year awards.

In addition, two members of the 2021 squad were named AVCA All-Midwest Region, with freshman setter Megan Wielonski becoming just the fifth player in program history to earn all-region first team honors. Senior middle Marie Plitt would go on to earn AVCA All-Midwest Region honors in 2022.

As strong as her teams have been on the court, they have been just as impressive in the classroom. In each of Phillips' first nine seasons, the Cardinals earned the prestigious American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) Team Academic Award. In addition, the program led the Ball State athletics department with a 3.707 team grade-point average and a 3.671 cumulative GPA in the spring of 2019.

Phillips helped mentor libero Kate Avila to College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) Academic All-District Second Team in both 2017 and 2018, while middle Lauren Gilliland was named to the All-District First Team in 2021. Ball State players have earned 74 Academic All-MAC selections and 11 MAC Women’s Volleyball Distinguished Scholar Athletes awards during her tenure.

Prior to being named the head coach at Ball State, Phillips spent the previous six seasons as an assistant coach for the Cardinals, helping guide the program to a 119-68 (64-32 Mid-American Conference) record under retired head coach Steve Shondell. During that time, Ball State won the 2010 MAC regular season championship, earned an at-large berth into the 2011 NCAA Division I Women’s Volleyball Championship and captured the 2013 MAC West Division crown.

Phillips also helped Ball State student-athletes earn 15 All-MAC First Team honors, five All-MAC Second Team accolades and three MAC All-Freshman Team awards as an assistant. A former collegiate libero herself, Phillips mentored then-senior libero Alyssa Rio to the 2010 Collegiate Volleyball Update (CVU.Com) National Libero of the Year award. Rio finished her senior season ranked second nationally with a 5.86 digs-per-set average and was a four-time MAC West Division Defensive Player of the Week and a CVU.Com National Player of the Week. 

Phillips served as Ball State’s defensive coordinator for her first three seasons, with the team ranking in the top three in the league in digs-per-set average all three years. She assumed the duties of both offensive and recruiting coordinator in 2013. Ball State’s offense shined under her guidance, finishing first in the MAC and seventh nationally with a 14.84 kills-per-set average in 2013. In 2014, middle attacker Hayley Benson led the MAC in hitting percentage (.433) and was named an AVCA All-Midwest Region honorable mention. In 2015, Ball State’s recruiting class was recognized as the top class in the MAC and one of the top 55 nationally by PrepVolleyball.Com. Prior to coming to Ball State, Phillips was a student/volunteer coach under Purdue head coach Dave Shondell during the 2009 season.  

While working with the Boilermakers, she was responsible for scouting opponent hitters, reception rotations, and servers. In addition, she developed and implemented serve receive and defensive drills. Phillips has also coached for the Munciana Volleyball Club as both an assistant and head coach.