Denise Báez

Position: Assistant Coach Experience: 2nd Year

Denise Báez enters her second year as assistant coach for Purdue volleyball. Baez’s responsibilities include team travel, camps and scouting.

“I am looking forward to this season for many reasons,” Báez said. “First of all, it will give me a chance to work with a tremendous group of young women. Plus the chance to get another crack at the Big Ten teams is a definite motivation for me.”

Báez’s professional career started in her collegiate days. While a student-athlete at Arkansas, Báez coached at numerous camps, including the University of Arkansas, Arcadiana Area, Central Arkansas and Washington State.

Upon graduating from Arkansas in 1996, the Guaynabo, Puerto Rico, native took a position as an assistant at Cincinnati. While in Ohio, she served as the head coach for Sports Express, a junior volleyball team in Mason, Ohio.

Báez’s next job placed her in an assistant coaching position on Don Hardin’s staff at Illinois alongside current Purdue head coach Jeff Hulsmeyer, who was also an Illini assistant at that time.

“I had the pleasure of working with Denise at Illinois, and I was elated that she joined my staff here,” Hulsmeyer said. “She has a tremendous work ethic and dedication to the kids she coaches. In addition to having Big Ten coaching experience, her outgoing and supportive personality will fit in extremely well with our players and program.”

Báez earned three letters (1994-96) as a member of the Arkansas volleyball team, for which she played middle hitter and outside hitter. Her Lady Backs teams won three straight SEC Western Division titles, compiling 20 plus win seasons each of her final two years. Her senior year, Báez helped lead Arkansas to the second round of the NCAA Tournament with a 26-11 record despite facing five top 25 teams including two top five squads during the regular season.

While in Puerto Rico, Báez was a member of the youth national team that beat Cuba and qualified for the World Championships in 1991. She got her start in volleyball in third grade with the Buacpla Volleyball Club in Alto Apolo, Puerto Rico. She also played as a prepster at Colegio Rosa Bell in Torrimar, Puerto Rico.

Báez, who received her bachelor’s degree in psychology from Arkansas, resides in Lafayette.

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