Entering 2021-22: 4th year Overall, 2nd as Head Coach
Overall Record: 18-9 (.667)
Alma Mater: Campbellsville ('14)
Updated: June 2021
Rinata Aisena, who played for former coach Amy Zink in 2012 and 2013, was named the head coach of the Lady Tigers in January 2020. She returned as the women's volleyball assistant coach starting in the summer of 2018 before her promotion.
In her first season leading Lady Tiger volleyball, the team saw a significant improvement in winning percentage as the team finished an altered 2020 schedule due to COVID-19 with an 18-9 record. The 18 wins was one more than the 2019 season that included playing eight more matches as the team's winning percentage went from below .500 to .625 from 2019 to 2020.
Under Aisena's leadership, setter Paige Merrick had the best season of her career, finishing with All-American honors from the NAIA, AVCA, and NCCAA for her 2020 performance. Along with the All-America selections, Merrick was also an All Mid-South Conference selection as well her teammates Sonia Flendrich, Sutton Mason, and Katie Morin.
In 2019, Aisena helped lead the Lady Tigers to a 17-18 overall record. She coached the MSC Libero of the Year in Jaimie Thompson, while coaching 5 NCCAA Mid-East Selections in Jaimie Thompson (First Team), Sonia Flendrich (First Team), Sophie Ball (First Team), Yelyzaveta Sharkova (Second Team), and Paige Merrick (Second Team).
Both the men's and women's volleyball programs finished as No. 2 seeds in the Mid-South Conference regular season and runner-up finishes in the MSC Tournament in her first season. Both the Lady Tigers and Tigers won over 20 games with the women's team going 25-11 and the men going 22-9 in her first season working with first-year head coach Eric Snyder.
The outside hitter from Riga, Latvia was a First-Team All-Conference performer in 2012 and 2013 and finished her two-year career with 929 kills and 238 blocks.
In 2013, Aisena tallied career-highs with 550 kills and 130 blocks. The 550 kills ranked No. 5 in the NAIA and her 3.8 kills per game was 18th. Aisena totaled 20-plus kills five separate times in her senior campaign, including a career-high 23 vs. St. Catharine College and Trinity Christian College.
She helped lead Campbellsville to a 29-11 record in 2012 where the Lady Tigers won the NCCAA Mid-East Regional. In 2013, CU wen 29-12 but lost in the finals of the regional to Lee University. Both years ended with a loss to Oakland City in the NCCAA Championship in Kissimmee, Florida.
Since her departure in 2014, Aisena has been out of the game. She graduated with a Bachelor's of Science in Biology in December of 2014 and earned a minor in psychology.
After graduation, she has worked in the medical field as a Physical Therapy Technician in Mt. Washington, Ky. And was a research technician at the University of Arkansas in 2015.
Overall Record: 42-19 (.666)
2020: 18-9, (10-6 MSC)
2021: 24-10, (12-4 MSC)
