University of Montevallo Athletics

Katie O’Brien serves as the Assistant Athletic Director for Academics and Compliance/Senior Woman Administrator at the University of Montevallo after serving 15 seasons as the head coach of the Falcon volleyball program.

In her administrative role, O’Brien oversees student-athlete academic support initiatives and compliance efforts while serving as a key member of the Falcon Athletics leadership team. Her extensive coaching background and experience as a Senior Woman Administrator provide valuable insight into student-athlete development, NCAA compliance, and the overall collegiate athletics experience.

O’Brien concluded her 15-year tenure as Montevallo’s head volleyball coach with 273 victories, the second-most in program history, and guided the Falcons through the transition from the Peach Belt Conference to the Gulf South Conference. During her time at Montevallo, she led the Falcons to seven Peach Belt Conference Tournament appearances, five Gulf South Conference Tournament appearances, and back-to-back GSC Championship Final appearances in 2020-21 (Spring 2021) and 2021.

Under O’Brien’s leadership, Montevallo earned multiple NCAA Division II regional rankings, including appearances in the NCAA Southeast Region rankings from 2009-10 and 2013-16 and NCAA South Region rankings in 2018 and 2022. She coached one D2CCA All-American, two AVCA All-Americans, nine NCAA Division II All-Southeast Region selections, and four D2CCA All-South Region selections. Her student-athletes also earned 17 All-Peach Belt Conference honors and 11 All-Gulf South Conference selections.

O’Brien led her teams to a winning record in 18 of her 22 seasons as a head coach and guided the Falcons to 11 20-win seasons during Montevallo’s NCAA Division II era.

During Montevallo’s membership in the Peach Belt Conference, O’Brien coached 10 first-team All-Peach Belt Conference selections, six second-team All-Peach Belt Conference selections, one conference Player of the Year, one conference Freshman of the Year, two conference Setters of the Year, and two conference Liberos of the Year. She also coached eight American Volleyball Coaches Association All-Southeast Region selections, including Kristy Bohan, who was named a D2CCA All-American.

O’Brien’s teams also achieved significant success in the classroom, earning 14 consecutive AVCA Team Academic Awards while producing seven CoSIDA Academic All-District selections, two CoSIDA Academic All-Americans, two GSC Champion Scholar-Athletes, and numerous conference academic honors.

Prior to arriving at Montevallo, O’Brien served as the head volleyball coach and Senior Woman Administrator at Piedmont College from 2000-07. She led the Lady Lions to the program’s first NCAA Division III Tournament appearance in 2007, captured two Great South Athletic Conference Tournament championships, and was named GSAC Coach of the Year twice. O’Brien finished her Piedmont tenure with a 178-109 record and was inducted into the Piedmont College Hall of Fame in 2013.

While serving as Piedmont’s Senior Woman Administrator, O’Brien played an integral role in student-athlete development, mentoring 36 Academic All-Conference honorees, 22 All-Conference selections, 12 Freshman All-Conference honorees, three GSAC Freshman of the Year recipients, one conference Player of the Year, and two tournament MVPs. She also served on the NCAA South Regional Advisory Committee and as chapter advisor for Chi Alpha Sigma, the National College Athletic Honor Society.

O’Brien earned her Bachelor of Science degree in sports, health, leisure and physical studies from the University of Iowa in 1999 before completing her master’s degree in public administration from Piedmont College in 2001. Prior to beginning her coaching career, O’Brien enjoyed a standout playing career at Iowa, where she finished ranked 14th in program history in career blocks and 13th in career attack percentage. She also recorded back-to-back top-10 finishes in the Big Ten Conference in blocks per game during the 1997 and 1998 seasons.

O’Brien was a member of the American Volleyball Coaches Association and remained active in the volleyball community through her service on the Vertical 1 Club Team board of directors and as a coach with the Northlake Kaepa Volleyball Club.

O’Brien and her husband, Freddie Chapman, reside in Calera, Alabama.

*Season limited to GSC opponents only due to COVID-19 ... No Conference Standings 
Montevallo Record: 273-198 (115-90 Conf.)
Overall Record: 451-307