Lisa Orlet joined the McKendree University staff as the Bearcats' volleyball coach in November 2011.
Orlet joined the McKendree family after spending the 2011 season as the assistant volleyball coach and interim head coach at Washington University in St. Louis. Orlet was part of a Bears' staff that led the team to a 34-2 overall record and a 9-1 mark in the University Athletic Association. Washington University climbed to No. 2 in the NCAA Division III national rankings and advanced to the regional finals of the national playoffs.
As the top assistant at Washington University, Orlet helped with recruiting and on-the-floor coaching. Orlet also served as the Bears' strength and conditioning coach.
Before arriving at Washington University, Orlet served a strength and conditioning coach internship at Saint Louis University. She was an assistant coach for the Billikens from 2007-09. There, she helped provide serving, passing and defensive technical training along with practice design and management.
Orlet has also excelled in the high school coaching ranks. She was the head volleyball coach at her alma mater, Incarnate Word Academy of St. Louis, from 2002-07. Orlet led Incarnate Word to Missouri state championships in 2002, 2003 and 2005, earning Missouri State High School Coach of the Year honors each of those seasons. Orlet also served as the volleyball coach at Althoff Catholic High School in 2009-10.
As a player, Orlet won four state titles during her career at Incarnate Word. She also picked up All-State accolades as a senior. Orlet continued her playing career at the University of Kansas, where she was an Academic All-America honoree in 1989 and a member of the Big 8 All-Tournament team in 1990. Orlet graduated from Kansas with a degree in health sciences/exercise science.
In addition to her extensive coaching experience in the St. Louis area, Orlet has served as a USA Olympic High Performance Coach at the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs since 1999. Orlet and her husband Jim have four children: Mia, George, Teddy and Gabby.
