Heather Stout recently completed her third season and fourth year at Catholic in 2023. Stout was named the head volleyball coach on June 5, 2020.
During Stout's tenure, Catholic has improved its win total each year. The Cardinals posted a record of 20-12 in 2023, the first season in which Catholic won 20 or more games since 2016. Stout's program improved by five wins from a 15-16 season in 2022. Those 15 wins were a seven-win improvement from the 2021 campaign.
In 2023, Catholic reached the Landmark Conference Tournament for the first time since 2018, earning the number-four seed after a 6-3 record in conference play. Stout's team played a handful of NCAA Tournament teams in 2023. defeating Gettysburg and playing competitive matches with Stevens, Marymount, Salisbury.
For the first time in over a decade, Catholic had four players earn All-Landmark honors in 2023 with Olivia Blondin and Sydney Sheppard garnering first-team honors. Erin Faughnan was named to the All-Landmark Second Team while Grace Guerin picked up an Honorable Mention nod.
Catholic tied the program record for aces in a match with 19 in a five-set defeat to Salisbury in November. The Cardinals ranked in the top-10 in a number of other single-game categories, inlcuding the second-most kills in a three-set match in program history with 51 vs. Widener on September 9.
Stout came to Catholic after three seasons as an assistant coach at Division I Fairleigh Dickinson University where she assisted in all aspects of the program's operation, including student-athlete recruitment, coaching and instruction, match day preperation and competition scheduling. She also organized all community service projects with each student-athlete completing numerous projects and founded the program's camps and clinics offerings. The Knights also received the Team Iron Knight award from the FDU Strength and Conditioning Staff in 2018.
During Stout's three seasons at FDU, McKenna Setterlund totaled 1,586 assists and enters the 2020 season ranked eighth in program history for career assists. This past season, Allison Koester was named Northeast Conference (NEC) Defensive Player of the Week on Nov. 11, 2019, becoming the first Knight to earn a weekly award from the NEC since Oct. 12, 2015. Off the court, the Knights were honored with the AVCA Team Academic Award each year for having a 3.30 cumulative grade-point average.
In addition to her work at FDU, Stout also served as the head coach and club recruiting coordinator for DIGS Volleyball Club (Age 17) who were regional champions of the 2018 Garden Empire Volleyball Association (GEVA). Recently, she was recognized by GEVA and the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) as the regional girls club coach of the year.
Stout began her collegiate coaching career at Division III New York University where she spent two seasons as an assistant coach overseeing individual skill development and game day responsibilities. The Violets won 18 matches in 2016, advancing to the semifinals of the ECAC Division III Championship. In 2015, NYU totaled 16 wins while competing in the highly-competitive University Athletic Association (UAA) Championship. The team also earned AVCA Academic honors.
Stout developed the Violets' offense, working with the middle blockers and outside hitters, including Rayne Ellis and Nicole Frias who both earned All-UAA Honorable Mention accolades in 2016 and 2015, respectively. Ellis finished second in program history with 336 total blocks while Frias ranked third with 322. Frias also finished fifth in sets played and hitting percentage.
A native of Mt. Jackson, Va., Stout graduated from Glenville State in 2014 with a bachelor of arts degree in early education and behavioral science. She played four seasons as a middle hitter for the Division II Pioneers, serving as a team captain. Off the court, she was named to the Mountain East Commissioner's Honor Roll every season and a member of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA).
Stout added a master's degree in sport management from Brooklyn College in June 2016.
