MT. CARMEL, Ill. -- Rachel Refenes, a coach with NCAA Division I experience who has played professionally, is the new head volleyball coach at Wabash Valley College. 

Refenes (pronounced REF-N-ESS) was hired by the IECC District 529 Board in June. She replaces long-time coach Mark Colvin, who resigned in the spring. 

"I am very excited," Refenes said. "I want to win, and Wabash Valley is a place where you can win. The girls have been very welcoming and on board with everything I have implemented. 

"I want these girls to have a good experience and help them move on and continue their athletic and academic career. Wabash Valley is a great school to do that." 

Refenes comes to WVC from Binghamton University, a member of the NCAA Division I America East Conference. It was her second stint at the New York school, having spent three seasons as a Bearcat assistant from 2009 to 2011. 

Prior to her return to Binghamton, she spent two seasons as an assistant at Rutgers University of the Big Ten Conference, before taking on head coaching responsibilities at NJCAA school Lehigh Carbon Community College in Pennsylvania. 

In her first season at Binghamton Refenes helped lead the Bearcats to their second America East championship in program history. The 2009 team went 15-16 overall and defeated New Hampshire in straight sets to advance to the NCAA championships. 

While at Rutgers, Refenes was responsible for assisting the head coach in practice plans while specifically working with the middle blockers. She had a hand in recruiting and fundraising as well. 

As a player at Ball State, Refenes was named an all-conference selection in both her junior and senior seasons as well as an honorable mention NCAA All-American in 2005. After college she played one professional season for NOVA KBM Branik in Maribor, Slovenia.