The Arizona volleyball team will have a new but familiar face on its sideline next season.

Allison Napier, a former UA volleyball player and four-year letterwinner will join the Wildcat coaching staff next season, head coach Dave Rubio announced yesterday.

Napier, who posted 1,008 kills during her Arizona career from 1997-2000, will replace former Arizona assistant Dana Burkholder, who resigned after the conclusion of this year’s regular season.

“”I am so excited to be back,”” Napier said. “”I love Tucson. I love the U of A. I am just really excited to be back and do whatever I can to help improve the team.””

Rubio said that Napier has already been with the team for quite some time now, and he is excited to officially introduce her as part of the coaching staff.

“”She has been with us for a little over a month,”” Rubio said. “”We didn’t want to release anything for whatever reason. It was probably more negligence on my part than anything.””

Rubio said that Napier was someone he was “”seriously considering”” when he was searching for an assistant coach before last season, but the timing was off.

“”I had just actually moved out to New York a year prior to the first time he called me,”” Napier said. “”I kind of wanted to give New York a try and I kind of wanted to give life other than volleyball a try. At that point I didn’t think I had given (New York) enough time to justify leaving the life I had.””

Rubio said that Burkholder, who left the team after only one season, decided that coaching wasn’t for her and that she needed a change.

“”I think that her heart wasn’t into coaching,”” Rubio said. “”I think more than anything, she didn’t have the same passion in her eyes as a coach as she did when she was a player.””

Rubio has often filled assistant coaching positions with his former players. He said that he enjoys what experienced players bring to the table.

“”I really like hiring former players,”” Rubio said. “”People who have experience under me can relate to the players really well, and I think that is an important thing. I am sure (Napier) will have a great relationship with the team, and she will be a great fit with the program.””