A former setter for the Chargers and a 1991 graduate of the University, Robin Salters continues to uphold the proud winning tradition of New Haven volleyball started by her former head coach and program founder, Deborah Chin. Since taking the helm in 1994, as only the second head coach in program history, Salters has posted a 624-189 record and .768 winning percentage.
Salters’ 604 victories following the 2015 season is the most ever in school history as she passed former coach and current Director of Athletics Debbie Chin as the all-time winningest coach. Her 604 career victories rank her eighth all-time in Division II coaching wins. Her success is even more outstanding in terms of winning percentage, where her .770 mark against Division II competition is 13th all-time among coaches with 10 or more years at the Division II level.
During a 2015 season in which Salters led the Chargers to a 10th straight appearance in the NCAA Championship, the programs all-time wins leader joined an elite group of coaches at the Division II level when New Haven defeated Southern New Hampshire earning Salters her 600th career victory. The win was part of 18 total for the Blue and Gold in 2015 as the Chargers advanced to the Northeast-10 Conference Championship game for the fifth time since joining the league in 2008.
Salters again led the New Haven women’s volleyball program to national prominence in 2014 as the Chargers advanced to the NCAA Elite 8 for the ninth time under her leadership and the 13th time in the history of the program. After leading the Chargers to a 24-9 overall record and an upset of Bridgeport in the NCAA East Regional finals, Salters was named the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) East Region Coach of the Year for the seventh time in her career (1996, 1996, 2002, 2006, 2008, 2012, 2014).
Individually, Salters guided setter Kaulana Ane to AVCA All-America Honorable Mention honors, while Ane was joined by Kristen Lee and Kristy Atufunwa on the AVCA All-East Region First Team. In addition to those honors, four Chargers were named to the NCAA East Region All-Championship team; Ane, Lee, Atufunwa and Kea-Marie Olaso, with the same four also earning All-Northeast 10 laurels.
In 2013 the Chargers won their second consecutive Northeast-10 Championship and fourth in six seasons as a member of the conference. The Chargers also completed their sixth-straight unbeaten trip through the NE-10, increasing their all-time mark to 88-0 in regular season conference play. The 2013 club made its eighth consecutive NCAA Championship appearance and the 18th in Salters’ 20-year tenure, reaching its third straight NCAA Division II East Region Championship Match.
Individually, Salters mentored Amber Cannady to an outstanding senior season that included Daktronics First Team All-America and AVCA Honorable Mention All-America selections. Cannady was also lauded individually as Daktronics East Region Player of the Year, AVCA All-East Region, Northeast-10 Player of the Year, First Team All-Northeast-10, Most Outstanding Player of the Northeast-10 Championship and a member of the NCAA East Region All-Championship Team.
The 2012 campaign saw the Chargers advance to their 12th NCAA Elite Eight, as Salters was recognized by her peers as the AVCA East Region Coach of the Year for the sixth time in her career. Led by All-America honorees Keidy Candelaria and Amber Cannady, the 2012 Chargers finished at 30-2, winning the Northeast-10 and NCAA East Region Championships with the best record in all of NCAA Division II. Candelaria was named the NE-10 Player of the Year for the second consecutive season and was joined by Cannady on the conference’s First Team. Ane and Kristen Lee also garnered NE-10 major awards as Setter and Rookie of the Year, respectively.
Fueled by the Chargers’ 23-7 record, Salters eclipsed the 500-win plateau in 2011. In 2010, she earned her first Northeast-10 Conference Coach of the Year honor, after leading the Chargers to their third-straight undefeated conference season. She was previously named the East Coast Conference Coach of the Year in 2006 and collected New England Collegiate Conference Coach of the Year accolades in 1994, 1995 and 1999.
Salters opened her coaching career by taking UNH to the NCAA postseason in 10 straight seasons from 1994 to 2003, including six berths in the NCAA Elite Eight and six conference championships. Salters guided UNH to the Elite Eight in her first four seasons and five of her first six.
She became head coach at her alma mater in 1994 after serving as an assistant coach at Central Connecticut State University in 1993. Previously, she coached the Junior Olympics team for the Western Michigan Volleyball Association. While earning her Master’s degree at Western Michigan University, she also coached the Kalamazoo Central High School freshman team.
A former student-athlete at Lake Michigan College where she earned an associate of arts degree, Salters transferred to UNH in 1989 and was the starting setter in 1989 and 1990. During her playing career at UNH, she earned All-Region honors and was named the school’s Female Athlete of the Year for the 1990-91 academic year. Salters concluded her career by winning the University’s NCAA Woman of the Year Award in 1991.
An active member of the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA), Salters has served as the chair of the Northeast Regional selection committee, was a member of the Division II Head Coaches’ Committee and a voter for the organization’s weekly Top-25 poll. Robin has also served for 12 years as a member of the NCAA Regional Advisory Committee, including eight years as chair. In 2009 she served as the national chair of the NCAA Division II Women’s Volleyball Selection Committee. In 2009, Salters was also inducted into the Connecticut Volleyball Hall of Fame.
Salters is also UNH’s Senior Woman Administrator and Senior Associate Director of Athletics for Facilities.
