Women's Volleyball
- Title:
- Volunteer Assistant Coach
Alison Lawler (formerly Alison Shepp) begins her first season as a volunteer assistant coach with the Saluki volleyball team.
A native of Schaumburg, Ill., Lawler brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to the Saluki coaching staff. She spent five years with Sports Performance Volleyball Club in Aurora, Ill., where she won two AAU National Championships, one as a head coach in 2011 and another in 2014 as an assistant.
Lawler previously served as the head coach at Concordia University of Chicago, a NCAA Division III institution, for the 2012 and 2013 seasons. Prior to her stint with the Cougars, Lawler served as the Director of Volleyball Operations at Northwestern University. During her time at Northwestern, the 2011 Wildcats enjoyed their best start in 14 years, winning their first five matches, and tallied three wins over top-25 teams.
The Schaumburg, Ill. native attended Boston College where she played four years for the Eagles as a middle blocker. She totaled 761 kills, 51 solo blocks and 146 block assists in 326 career matches. During her senior season, Lawler finished fifth in the Big East Conference with a .355 hitting percentage. After graduation, she played a season of professional volleyball in Slovenia for ZOK Ptuj.
Lawler earned her bachelor of science in marketing and business from Boston College in 2007. She and her husband, Dr. James Lawler, reside in Marion, Ill. where they own a private medical practice and are dedicated members of SIU Football’s Gridiron Club. James is a 2008 SIU alum who was an offensive lineman for the Salukis from 2006-08 and was teammates with current head coach Nick Hill.
