Cal Poly Humboldt Executive Director for Athletics and Campus Recreation Cooper Jones has announced the hiring of Angela Spoja as the head volleyball coach at Cal Poly Humboldt.  Spoja comes to Humboldt from Eastern Washington University where she was the Interim Head Coach during the Spring 2022 season.  Spoja has over 25 years of coaching experience in the community college, NAIA and NCAA Division I levels.

 “We are excited to have Angela join the Lumberjack family as our next head volleyball coach at Cal Poly Humboldt,” said Jones.  “Angela brings a wealth of experience to our university, and is the right person at the right time to lead our program.  We also look forward to welcoming Jaron, Sydney, Sophia and Jaron Jr. to our community.”  

 Spoja was the Interim Head Coach at Eastern Washington from December 2021 to April 2022.  Prior to being the Interim Head Coach for the Eagles, Spoja was the Assistant Coach and Recruiting Coordinator from 2020 to 2021.  During both seasons, the Eagles received a bid to the Big Sky Championships after a six-year hiatus.  The Eagles maintained a 3.5 or higher grade point average during her stint on the staff at Eastern Washington.

 “I am honored and grateful to be the next Head Volleyball Coach of Cal Poly Humboldt,” said Spoja. “I want to thank Cooper Jones, Amanda Nelson, and the hiring committee for the opportunity to lead this team. I believe that Humboldt can become a volleyball program that will compete at the highest level in the CCAA, and in Division II as a whole. I am excited to coach this team as they are hungry for knowledge and want to be pushed to be the best, while building lifelong cultures and traditions in Humboldt Volleyball.” 

 Prior to her time at Eastern Washington, Spoja was the head volleyball coach at Evergreen State College from 2013 to 2019.  She is the all-time winningest coach for Evergreen State as the Geoducks recorded 68 wins after going 0-55 the previous two seasons.  During her time on the sidelines for Evergreen State, Spoja coached the first NAIA All-American and the first Freshman of the Year for the Geoducks. 

Spoja coached the first Athlete of the Year at Evergreen State, and 95% of the athletes she recruited remained at the school for four years.  She also was the advisor of the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee. 

 From 2005 to 2012, Spoja was the head volleyball coach for Tacoma Community College.  Spoja was the three-time recipient of the Northwest Athletic Conference (NWAC) Coach of the Year in 2006, 2007 and 2010. She also was the Western Region recipient of this honor and guided the Titans to a 155-60 record including two undefeated records in league play in 2007 and 2010.

The Titans were five-time Western Region Champions (2006, 2007, 2008, 2009 and 2010). They finished fifth in 2010 and sixth in 2006 in the NWAC Championships.  She placed over forty players with four-year schools including three that went on to NCAA Division I schools.

 During her time at Tacoma and Eastern Washington, she also coached the South Sound Volleyball Club (formerly the Edge VBC) from 2006 to 2020.    Spoja was the Director of the South Sound Volleyball Club.  She placed over fifty athletes into four-year colleges with scholarships.

 The Titans’ volleyball program collectively held the highest grade-point average of all sports programs from 2006 to 2012.  Over 90 percent of the players graduated with a two-year degree and continued on to a four-year college. 

 Spoja earned her Bachelor of Arts Degree in Criminal Justice from Eastern Washington in 1997.  She earned a volleyball scholarship to Eastern Washington from 1995 to 1997.  The Lakewood, Washington, native was a member of the American Volleyball Professionals (AVP) and an AVP Next Member from 1997 to 2009. 

 In 2021, she received her Master of Arts in Coaching and Athletic Administration from Concordia University Irvine.  Spoja has been married for 25 years to Jaron Spoja,  and they have three children; daughter Sydney, son Jaron Jr, and daughter Sophia.