ROCK HILL, SC—Winthrop head volleyball coach Sally Polhamus has announced that Mary Hock Leventis, one of the most outstanding players in Winthrop volleyball history, has joined the program as an assistant coach. She replaces Shannon Wells who accepted an assistant coaching position at the University of Mississippi last month.
Leventis, who graduated Cum Laude in 2006 with a degree in Fitness Wellness and a minor in Human Nutrition, helped lead Winthrop to five straight Big South Conference championships and NCAA tournament appearances, including four as a player from 2002 thru 2005. She served as a student assistant in 2006 when the Eagles captured the title.
During her playing years, she was the Big South Player of the Year in 2004 and was a three-time All-Big South First Team selection. In 2002 she was voted the conference's Freshman of the Year and she was selected the Big South Tournament MVP in 2005. In 2004, she was named to the NCAA East Regional Team and was an Honorable Mention All-American. Known for her jump serve, she led the NCAA in service aces in 2005 and she still holds the Winthrop career records for aces and kills.
"Mary is a winner both on and off the volleyball court," said Polhamus. "She is a driven person that has great passion for Winthrop University and this volleyball program. Her duties will include serving in the role of recruiting coordinator along with other responsibilities, including defensive training in the gym, alumni relations and marketing."
After graduating from Winthrop she married former Winthrop men's basketball player Gabe Leventis and served on the University of Georgia volleyball staff in 2007. Most recently she has served as a chiropractic assistant for Aycock Family Chiropractic in Kansas City, KS, following a year as a membership advisor for SportsClub Five Forks in Simpsonville, SC.