At the end of the 2024 season, South Carolina found itself at a crossroads looking for a leader who understood both the grind of the Southeastern Conference competition and the high level of play that defines the conference. The volleyball program didn't have to look far to find its next leader just down the SEC road.
On March 31, the University of South Carolina announced that Sarah Rumely Noble would be the 12th head coach of the Gamecock women’s volleyball team following previous head coach Tom Mendoza’s departure.
Rumely Noble brings experience and knowledge in SEC volleyball, both as a former player and as a coach who has worked across multiple programs in the conference. Since arriving, she has brought assistant coaches Connor Zimmick and Chanelle Hargreaves on staff, both of whom have worked alongside her at App State.
"I think she always has a great mindset, she's always positive (and) she always has belief in her players," Zimmick said.
Rumely Noble first made waves at the University of Kentucky, playing for the Wildcats from 2006 to 2009. She arrived as a freshman and immediately distinguished herself, earning SEC Freshman of the Year. Over her four years in Lexington, Rumely Noble became Kentucky’s all-time leader in both assists and aces, was a four-time All-SEC player, won SEC Player of the Year in 2008 and earned third-team Academic All-American honors during her career.
Her leadership helped Kentucky earn four NCAA Tournament appearances, including a run to the Sweet Sixteen. After college in 2017, she was inducted into the Kentucky Athletics Hall of Fame and has also been named an SEC Women’s Legend.
An SEC Women's Legend is a former student-athlete or coach from any SEC sport who is recognized for their significant achievements and contributions in their sport within the conference. Each legend is honored at halftime during their team's first game in the SEC Women's Basketball Tournament.
Following her UK career, she played professionally in France for Nantes Volley Feminin in Ligue A from 2010 to 2011, and she then transitioned into coaching shortly after entering her professional playing days.
Rumely Noble began her coaching career in 2011 with North Texas and later went to assistant roles at Wake Forest in 2013 and Arkansas in 2015. In her first season with the Razorbacks, she directed the offense, before shifting to focus on the defense the following year, while still handling key recruiting responsibilities. This versatility helped her expand her knowledge of systems and strategies on both sides of the court.
"I worked for a lot of different head coaches and got to see things done a lot of different ways," Rumely Noble said. "I pulled things from each of them that kind of shaped my personal coaching philosophy and coaching style."
Rumely Noble’s coaching trajectory reached another level at LSU in 2017. She initially joined as an assistant coach before being promoted to recruiting coordinator and later associate head coach.
During her time in Baton Rouge, she helped the Tigers secure several nationally ranked recruiting classes, developed setters who earned SEC weekly honors and All-Freshman recognitions, and she oversaw offensive systems that raised LSU’s competitiveness within the conference.
"She shows up every day, and I think the consistency is really helpful for the players," Hargreaves said.
In 2022, Rumely Noble was named head coach at Appalachian State, and over her three seasons in Boone, the program improved. The Mountaineers went from averaging around seven wins per season before her arrival to averaging 17 wins per season under her leadership. Her team claimed the Sun Belt East Division title and earned its third appearance in the National Invitational Volleyball Championship (NIVC) in November 2024.
Sophomore right-side hitter Elise Marchal, who previously played under Rumely Noble at Appalachian State, said her familiarity with the coach has made the transition to South Carolina seamless.
"Knowing her for so long and trusting in what she was building at my previous school, I have so much trust in her and what she does and the way she trains and pushes me," Marchal said.
What's next?
The Gamecocks (6-8, 0-4 SEC) will travel to Norman, Oklahoma to face the Oklahoma Sooners (11-3, 3-1 SEC) on Oct. 10. First serve is set for 7 p.m., and the match will be streamed on the SEC+ Network.