Samantha “Sam” Erger (Ur-grr) was named Head Volleyball Coach at SMU in February of 2022.
In her third season at SMU, Erger was voted AVCA Southwest Region Coach of the Year after leading the program in its first season in the Power 4, earning a No. 2 seed in the NCAA Tournament and host-site honors for the opening two rounds for the first time in program history, becoming the first DFW school to be seeded high enough to host since UTA hosted in 1991.
The Mustangs finished the year 25-8, finishing fourth in the ACC with a 16-4 conference record. Erger led the Mustangs to the program's fourth NCAA Tournament appearance, its second in-a-row, and an opening round tourney win, sweeping Wichita State. Erger's Mustangs defeated seven ranked teams in 2024, including No. 1 Pitt and No. 2 Nebraska. The Mustangs also collected a program record of 12 road wins in her third season on the Hilltop.
Erger mentored four All-ACC and four AVCA All-Region Selections. Naya Shime and Celia Cullen were named First-Team All-Conference and All-Region Selection. At the same time, Natalie Foster and Maya Tabron earned a spot on the ACC Second-Team and All-Region honorable mention accolades. Shime and Cullen were also named AVCA All-Americans, with Shime being selected to the third team, the program's first player to make an All-American Team, and Cullen bringing in honorable mention recognition.
Under Coach Erger, the Mustangs have had four players drafted into the Pro Volleyball Federation (PVF), three coming in 2024, as Naya Shime, Natalie Foster, and Maya Tabron were selected in the second and third rounds of the draft. Emma Clothier was the first Mustangs drafted in 2023. Erger's second season (2023) on the Hilltop was one for the record books. Erger was named the 2023 American Athletic Conference Coach of the Year after the Mustangs finished the season with a 26-7 overall record and won the AAC championship. SMU finished league play with an 18-1 record, marking the best conference winning percentage in program history (.947), and won the program's first league title since 2016. The Mustangs rode a 15-match win streak into the NCAA Tournament and entered as a No. 7 seed after seven straight sweeps. SMU swept Texas State in the first round of the NCAA Tournament to finish the month of November without dropping a set.
Erger mentored five All-AAC and two AVCA All-Region Selections, including the American's Player of the Year Emma Clothier, Setter of the Year Celia Cullen, and Libero of the Year Sina Uluave. Jamison Wheeler was named a First-Team selection, and Natalie Perdue earned a spot on the Second-Team. Clothier and Cullen both earned All-Region honors.
The 2023 Mustangs finished their campaign with the best team season attacking percentage in program history (.257). SMU tied for the fourth most aces per set (1.50) while recording the eighth most aces in program history with 166. SMU was top-10 in program history with 446 blocks and passed out the 15th most assists with 1466.
Erger completed her first season (2022) as head coach on the Hilltop with a 22-10 overall record. Selected fifth in the American Athletic Conference Preseason Coaches Poll, the Mustangs finished third with a 15-5 clip in league play.
Erger guided Marieke van der Mark and Jamison Wheeler to first-team All-AAC honors, and Celia Cullen to second-team honors. It marked the first time since 2019 that two Mustangs garnered first-team honors. SMU collected the third most selections in the conference under Erger.
Erger came to the Hilltop after eight seasons at Baylor, where she spent the last two seasons as associate head coach. Prior to her promotion, she spent five seasons as an assistant coach and one season as director of operations in Waco.
In addition to her role as an assistant coach, she also served as Baylor’s recruiting coordinator and setting coach. Under her guidance, her 2022 class is ranked No. 4 by PrepVolleyball.com and includes the Gatorade National Player of the Year, setter Averi Carlson. As she leaves Waco, the 2023 Bears’ class is ranked No. 9 in the country. Their 2021 class was also ranked No. 9 by VolleyballMag.com, the 2019 class was ranked No. 11 by PrepVolleyball.com and their 2017 class was also ranked in the top 20. Erger helped recruit the program's then-highest-ranked recruit from PrepVolleyball.com in Kara McGhee and also helped land three other UA All-Americans in 2019.
In 2021, Erger helped lead Baylor to its third consecutive NCAA Regional Semifinal. It was the Bears’ sixth-straight NCAA Tournament appearance and 20+-win season. Her group of fifth-year seniors ended their careers with 91 wins over four years and 115 over five, making a National Semifinal and winning a Big 12 Championship in the process. The group also earned a No. 1 AVCA national ranking and No. 1 overall seed in the NCAA Tournament in 2019.
Prior to coming to Baylor, she made her head coaching debut at Hill College in Hillsboro, Texas. Upon taking the position in 2013, she recruited 10 new players to complement only five returnees and led the young team to a 29-9 overall record, an NTJCAC Conference title and ended a 12-year Hill College drought by reaching the NJCAA Division I national tournament. She was subsequently honored as the 2013 NJCAA District F Coach of the Year. That same season, Erger coached Hill College’s first All-American since 1996.
Erger had a two-year graduate assistant stint at NCAA Division II Findlay (Ohio) to begin her coaching career. There, she was responsible for training setters and assisted in recruiting efforts.
After completing her collegiate playing career, Erger was a member of the inaugural class of the 2011 FCA Volleyball college internship program in Huntington Beach, Calif. In addition, she was a 2010 American Volleyball Coaches Association Coaches for Coaches scholarship recipient.
Erger played NCAA Division I volleyball at Bowling Green State as a setter, and she left the school ranked fifth all-time in career assists, second all-time in single-season assists, and top 10 in career aces. As a freshman in 2007, Erger earned MAC All-Freshman team recognition. Erger graduated from BGSU in 2011 with a degree in business administration and marketing and completed a master’s degree in business administration from the University of Findlay in 2013.
Erger has three sisters who all played collegiate volleyball. Rachel and Kristen played at Central Connecticut and Rochester College, respectively, while Jordan is the head coach at Dallas Baptist after a successful career at Virginia Tech and playing professionally in Denmark. In addition, Erger’s father, Jim Fish, is a prominent high school volleyball coach at North Branch High School in North Branch, Mich.
Erger’s husband, James, played basketball at BGSU. The couple has three children: sons, Malachi and Micah, and daughter, Demi.
What They’re Saying About Sam Erger
Ryan McGuyre, Baylor Head Coach
“Sam Erger is an incredible hire for SMU. I’m confident Sam will take SMU to unprecedented levels. She combines a relentless work ethic with a passionate desire to teach. She loves the whole athlete. She is an elite level coach and will soon be considered one of the country’s best. Her vision and wisdom will permeate every facet of the program. SMU fans can look forward to thrilling and exciting volleyball matches.”
Jim Barnes, Iowa Head Coach
“SMU and Sam Erger are a perfect fit. Sam’s passion for the game and for her players will make an immediate impact on the program. She is a true rising star in our profession.”
Shelly Stafford, Three-time All-American (Baylor), USA National Team Member, Pro Volleyball Player
“As I look back on my five years at Baylor, I attribute a huge portion of my success and growth to Sam Erger. Sam has an incredible ability to influence and inspire those around her to become the best version of themselves. I feel that is exactly what she was able to do for me, motivate me to become the best version of myself on the court, in the classroom, in life and most importantly through my relationship with The Lord. I am so excited for Sam to embark on this new journey with SMU Volleyball because I am confident she will bring her passion and determination for success to that program just as she radiated it at Baylor. SMU really got a good one.”
