Girls / Coaches
Nilay Karaağaç
Nilay Karaagac joins COAST Volleyball after an extraordinary 23-year career as an elite professional volleyball player. Beginning her professional journey at just 15 years old, Nilay set for some of the top Turkish clubs. Over her impressive career, her teams captured gold medals in the world’s premier professional league championships on three different occasions, including the CEV Champions League (2011, 2015) and the FIVB Women’s Club World Championships (2015).
In 2022, Nilay retired from professional play and relocated to San Diego with her husband and young son, embarking on a new chapter as a coach for the Francis Parker High School girls’ volleyball team. Her impact was immediate, leading Parker to the San Diego Division 1 championship in her first year. At COAST Volleyball, Nilay served as the head coach for the 16s girls’ team and co-coached the 17-1 and 18-1 teams, with all squads achieving top-10 finishes at Nationals over the past couple of years.
In her short time coaching in San Diego, Nilay attracted the attention of San Diego’s Real Pro Federation team, Mojo, who invited her to work with their setters and offense. However, she chose to dedicate her focus to COAST, working closely with setters and enhancing the club’s offensive strategies across the program.
With a wealth of experience alongside some of the most prominent coaches in the international volleyball community, Nilay is deeply committed to sharing her knowledge and expertise with the next generation of players. She is a gifted communicator who blends competitiveness and intelligence with exceptional soft skills to develop strong, character-driven athletes.
