1/4/26
Averett University has tabbed Christopher Tiller as its new men’s volleyball head coach, the school announced Thursday. The appointment comes as the Cougars prepare to enter their third season and first campaign as members of the Old Dominion Athletic Conference.
Tiller brings club coaching experience from North Carolina, where he most recently spent two years at PowerHaus Volleyball in Cary. At the indoor and beach volleyball club, he coached players aged 13-18 while assisting with operations. His coaching resume also includes a stint at Precision Athletics Volleyball Club (2021-22) and volunteer work with the University of North Carolina camps.
“It is such a huge honor to be given this opportunity at Averett,” Tiller said. “I am so excited for the chance to create history with such a young program and develop our student-athletes on and off the court.”
A 2023 graduate of UNC Greensboro with a degree in media studies, the Mooresville, North Carolina native played collegiate volleyball for the Spartans’ club team. Beyond his volleyball background, Tiller has professional experience in production, sales and development roles at various North Carolina companies.
Averett athletic director Danny Miller emphasized the program fit: “Christopher has a passion for the game and a commitment to developing student-athletes. We’re excited to see the impact he will have leading our men’s program.”
In addition to his head coaching duties, Tiller will serve as an assistant with Averett‘s women’s volleyball program. The Cougars’ men’s season is scheduled to begin in January as they embark on ODAC competition for the first time.
Averett University’s men’s volleyball program faced a challenging 2025 campaign in its first season as a member of the Old Dominion Athletic Conference, finishing with a 2-21 overall record and winless 0-12 mark in league play. The Cougars’ two victories both came against Warren Wilson College in home sweeps at E. Stuart James Grant Center (3-0 on Jan. 24 and Feb. 7), providing bright spots in an otherwise difficult year that saw the team drop 13 consecutive matches to close the season. Offensively, the young program struggled to find consistency, hitting just .037 as a team while opponents posted a .246 mark, though outside hitter Finn Oakley emerged as a workhorse with 146 kills across 23 matches and libero Anibal Lopez anchored the defense with 256 digs. The Cougars faced a baptism by fire in ODAC competition, suffering sweeps against conference powers and dropping competitive four-set losses to Bethany College and Carolina University that hinted at progress despite the results. With incoming head coach Christopher Tiller set to take over the program, Averett will look to build on the foundation established during this developmental season as it continues building toward competitiveness in one of the nation’s premier Division III men’s volleyball conferences.