(Story courtesy of Colorado College Athletics Communication Staff)
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. -- Sharon Dingman, volleyball coach at Colorado College since 2021, has announced her retirement after 40-plus years as a collegiate coach, including 35 as a head coach.
Dingman led the Tigers to a 109-44 record in her five seasons in Colorado Springs, the 2025 SCAC Championship and a pair of appearances in the NCAA Division III Tournament. In addition, her teams advanced to the championship match of the SCAC Tournament in 2022 and '23.
"When I started my coaching journey, I could never have envisioned the adventures I've experienced," Dingman said. "The wins and losses are important, however, what I have learned is the impact people can have on the lives of others is life changing. Every player, coach and administrator I've worked with has influenced my life and career. For me, Colorado College is the perfect place to end my career – a premier Division III volleyball program led by a premier Athletic Director and surrounded by some of the finest people in college athletics."
She led Colorado College to an incredible run to wrap up her career. As the No. 5 seed at the 2025 SCAC Championships, the Tigers defeated No. 4 seed Austin College, No. 1 seed St. Thomas and No. 3 seed Schreiner, on its home court, to cap a nine-match winning streak and win the school's first conference title since 2021.
Georgia Mullins earned first-team All-America honors in 2021, while four Tigers, Brooke Brilliant, Annie Steger, Jenny Jenks (twice) and Isabella Lipacis (twice) earned Honorable Mention All-America honors under Dingman, and she coached the SCAC Setter of the Year, Camden Goodman, Steger and Jenny Jenks (twice), in four of her five years at CC.
"Sharon Dingman is a legend in the sport of volleyball," CC Vice President and Director of Athletics Lesley Irvine said. "She has touched countless lives through the platform of sport and it has been an honor to support her as the head coach for the five seasons she spent at CC. She is one of those generational leaders that not only pours everything into their program, but also the department and community she is a part of. We have all benefited from her presence. We are going to miss Sharon and she will always be a Tiger."
Dingman, who owns a career record of 655-436 as a head coach at the Division I and III levels, won her 600th career match in 2023 with a five-set victory over 17th-ranked Tufts.
She came to Colorado Springs after a six-year stint as head coach at Division III University of Chicago (2013-19), following Division I head-coaching stops at the University of Iowa (2008-13), Illinois State University (2000-07), Butler University (1992-99) and Auburn University (1991-92). She also served as an assistant coach at the University of Kentucky (1988-90), Texas Tech University (1985-87) and Northern Michigan University (1984-85).
Dingman, who sits on the Board of Directors for the Side-Out Foundation, led UChicago to unparalleled success during her six-season tenure. Her teams posted a combined 144-55 (.724) overall record, a 41-19 (.693) mark in the University Athletic Association and earned five NCAA Tournament appearances.
Under Dingman's tutelage, UChicago student-athletes combined for the program's first three AVCA All-America honors as well as 21 all-UAA selections, including 13 first-team selections.
While at Iowa, her 2008 squad won 14 matches overall and six in the Big Ten, the most by the Hawkeyes since 2000. She led Illinois State to seven winning seasons in eight years, and the 2007 Redbirds earned an at-large NCAA tournament berth for the first time in 10 years.
Dingman played two seasons at Purdue University where she was a member of Big Ten championship teams in 1979 and 1980, and her final two years at Northern Michigan, where she served as team captain in 1982 and 1983, and was the team's MVP in 1983.
She earned her bachelor's degree in health education from Northern Michigan and completed her master's coursework at the University of Kentucky.
Assistant coach Nikki Binetti will serve as interim head coach for the fall season. Binetti was the head coach at Salisbury from 2022-25, leading the Sea Gulls to three consecutive appearances in the NCAA Division III Tournament and a 66-24 record in her three seasons.
