Coaching Staff

Ben Sabin | Assistant Coach

Ben Sabin enters the second season of his second stint on the volleyball staff after a season hiatus to coach volleyball in Switzerland.

In the 2020-21 season, played in the spring due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Bulldogs posted a record of 15-4 overall and 13-3 in SoCon play. The team won the SoCon Tournament and regular-season titles, earning a third-straight NCAA Tournament bid. Lauren Deaton earned SoCon Player of the Year and honorable mention All-American honors. Kenya McQuirter was named the SoCon Freshman of the Year, while Corinne Meglic and Sierra Rayzor were named second team All-SoCon.

In his first three seasons with the Bulldogs, he helped lead the team to Southern Conference Tournament titles and automatic bids into the NCAA Tournament in 2016 and 2018. He coached three First Team All-SoCon players, two Second Team All-SoCon selections, two SoCon All-Freshman Team members, six SoCon All-Tournament Team members, two SoCon Tournament MVPs, one SoCon Freshman of the Year, and one AVCA All-Region team selection. In 2017, he assisted in recruiting and signing the 2017 Alabama Gatorade Player of the Year.

In February of 2019, he entered the professional volleyball ranks, becoming the Volunteer Assistant Volleyball Coach for TS Volley Dudingen, SUI. There, he helped lead the team to a 1st place seed heading into the Playoffs after a third-place overall finish in the 2019 Swiss League Championship. Sabin assisted Dario Bettello with drill development and management during practices.

Before COVID-19 ended the 2019-2020 season, Sabin helped lead the Viteos NUC in Neuchatel, SUI to the 2019 Super Cup Title, a CEV Cup appearance, a semi-finalist spot in the Swiss Playoffs and the finals of the Swiss Cup Finals as an assistant volleyball coach. During his time in Switzerland, Sabin was the head coach for the M17 Junior Team, leading them to a 3-0 record in the first round and qualified for the second round of Swiss Volley Junior Championships on March 15, 2020.

Throughout his successful career in the volleyball community, Sabin has scouted many opponents and prepared scouting reports using advanced DataVolley, Volleymetrics and statistical breakdown. He has prepared and presented video sessions to teams regarding the reports, opponent player analysis, and individual feedback on training and practices. Sabin served as a camp coordinator, managing all aspects of volleyball camps including paperwork, hiring coaches, budget, agenda, and drill development, including directing satellite camps at multiple high schools.

Sabin has been a volleyball coach since 2009, playing the role of head men’s coach at Wapahani High School from 2009 to 2015, volunteer assistant coach at University of Illinois from 2012 to 2013, and assistant coach at Texas A&M International University from 2015 to 2016. Sabin served as the Indiana Boys Volleyball Coaches Association President from 2014 to 2018.

He graduated from Ball State University in Muncie, Indiana with a Masters of Arts in Sports Administration in May of 2015. Sabin is married to fellow assistant coach Sabel Sabin.

Sabel Sabin | Assistant Coach - Recruiting Coordinator

Sabel Sabin enters her second season as an assistant coach for the Samford volleyball program. Prior to her start with the Bulldogs, Sabin played volleyball professionally for six years earning several championships and medals throughout her career.

Upon graduating from Northwestern University with a Masters in Sports Administrtion in 2013, she became the starting middle blocker for CV Haro in Haro, Spain. She earned the championship of the Spanish League in 2013. She started as middle blocker for Koniz, Switzerland from 2011 to 2014 and finished second in the Swiss League in 2014. She was chosen as the Swiss Cup Final MVP in March of 2013.

Sabin competed and won the first USA Premier Volleyball League title for the Hoosier Exterminators in 2012 and 2014 before becoming the starting middle blocker for the Universidad de San Martin Porres in Lima, Peru. She finished her season as Peruvian Champions and received the award of Best Middle Blocker in the league. In 2015, she competed and finished third in the South American Club Championship.

Sabin took her success to Switzerland in 2015 as the starting middle blocker for TS Volley Dudingen, finishing in the top three during each season (2015-2019). She appeared in three CEV Cup matches during her time in Switzerland and was the Mobiliar Top Scorer for the team during the 2016-2017 season. Sabin was also named 2016 Swiss Cup Silver Medalist and 2015 Super Cup Gold Medalist.

Before bringing her success to Samford, Sabin became the starting middle blocker for Viteos NUC in Neuchatel, Switzerland. There, she helped lead the team to the 2019 Super Cup title, a CEV Cup appearance and a finalist spot for the Swiss Cup Championship in 2020. The Championship and season was canceled due to COVID-19.

In addition to her success on the court, she also held the title of Wildcat Juniors Volleyball Club Head Coach in Evanston, Ill. from 2007 to 2011. Sabin was All-American Volleyball Camps head coach from 2010 until 2014. She interned for the Big Ten Network in 2010, Northwestern Athletics Marketing in 2011, and played varsity volleyball for Chan at Northwestern from 2006 to 2010, earning All-America and All-Big Ten honors.

Sabin is married to fellow assistant coach, Ben Sabin.