Leisa Rosen introduced as 10th volleyball coach at Fresno State

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- Leisa Rosen was officially introduced Thursday by athletic director Terry Tumey as the 10th head volleyball coach in Fresno State history.

"When I called Ruth Lawanson, and she talks to me about what volleyball means here...'Hey Terry, you did a good job. You got the right person here,'" Tumey said.

Rosen comes to the Valley with decades of experience in the Big Ten, both as a coach and as a player.

She spent 24 seasons at Michigan, the last 22 of which she was the associate head coach under her husband Mark Rosen.

Those teams went to seven Sweet 16's, two Elite Eights and the 2012 Final Four.

Last season the 'Dogs had just one win in conference play and over the past decade has just three winning seasons.

Ready to put her stamp on the program, she asked for patience. "I don't know how fast it will be but I can guarantee you that we will be a contender in this conference at some point," she said. "Will be competitive in this conference and then that will make us competitive on a national scale."

A former player herself, she was named Big Ten conference player of the year as a senior at Ohio State.

Despite hailing from Alaska, she coached one year in Bakersfield and is thrilled to be back in the valley.

"I think it's very rich in volleyball tradition I think it's very rich in community tradition," she said. "I'm learning stuff as I go but it sounds like the Red Wave is very passionate about their sports here in Fresno so I'm excited to be able to learn that."