In an effort to return North Carolina A&T’s volleyball team into a serious MEAC contender again, N.C. A&T Athletics Director Wheeler Brown turned to someone who is familiar with Aggie volleyball success.
On July 7, 2009, Brown named Toni Conway the eighth head volleyball coach in the history of the program. Conway is a graduate of North Carolina A&T and was a four-year letterwinner in volleyball and a two-year letterwinner in swimming under current head coach Shawn Hendrix.
Conway coached volleyball at Division II Bowie State from 2005-08. Three out of those four seasons saw the Bulldogs finish with a winning record in the CIAA. The Bulldogs won 52 games under Conway’s tenure. In 2007, Conway led the Bulldogs through an historical season. The program reached the CIAA Championship final for the first time in school history.
During the ‘07 season regular season, the Bulldogs went 16-14 overall and 8-5 in the conference. Conway also coached the CIAA Rookie of the Year in middle hitter Bethany Sloat. Seven players from Bowie State made second-team All-CIAA in 2008.
Before coaching at Bowie State, Conway built a number of statewide competitive high school programs at Oxon Hill in Maryland. She coached varsity volleyball, tennis and was the co-head swimming coach. Conway’s head coaching experience also includes a stint at Division III Trinity University.
As a member of the Chesapeake Region Volleyball Association, Conway earned her increase mastery and professional application of coaching theory certification from USA Volleyball. After obtaining certification, Conway joined the Outsiders Junior Olympic Volleyball Club in Prince George’s County, Md., where she became the head coach of the Metro American 18’s regional team in Washington, D.C.
Conway has also worked full-time as an elementary school teacher in health and physical education. Also as an educator, she was honored as Oxon Hill High School’s New Teacher of the Year for the 2001-2002 school year. Who’s Who of American Teachers also recognized her as an inspiring educator.
During Conway’s collegiate playing days, N.C. A&T went 31-7 in the MEAC, including an 8-0 conference record in 1998. It was the first and only time in school history the Aggies finished the conference season undefeated. Conway’s classroom work was also impressive. She was a three-time scholar athlete, and she represented her academic major as the health physical education and recreation president.
Conway earned a B.S., in health physical education and recreation and fitness and wellness management in 2001.
