KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Spurgeon College is excited to announce the return of Jojo Wilkes as the new head volleyball coach.
“I am grateful to welcome Jojo Wilkes back to Spurgeon College as head volleyball coach,” said President Jason Allen. “Jojo is very familiar with our work at Spurgeon College and is a perfect fit to lead our program. I am grateful our girls will learn from her and am excited to see how the Lord uses her to disciple them and lead our program. I also want to say a special thank you to Coach Lizzie Deaton for her exemplary leadership this season, prior to our hiring of Coach Wilkes.”
Wilkes brings a wealth of knowledge from earlier roles coaching on all levels—from middle school to college.
Wilkes has served as the head volleyball coach at Calvary University for the past three seasons. Before her time at Calvary, she spent two seasons as an assistant coach at Spurgeon College under the leadership of Coach Evie Stanton.
Her tenure at Calvary was marked by significant progress, as she led the program to unprecedented success.
In her first season, the team finished second in both the conference and regional tournaments while also maintaining a national ranking throughout the year. Their performance earned Calvary an at-large bid to the NCCAA Division II National Tournament, marking their first national tournament appearance in program history. The team continued to maintain a national ranking in each of the following two seasons.
Sharing her excitement for the new role, Wilkes said, “I am excited to meet the team, train together, and help bring in recruits for the 2026 season. I’m thrilled to work with Coach Deaton and continue building on what Coach Stanton started.”
Athletics were not the only factor that drew Wilkes to Spurgeon College; the culture of the school was also a major influence.
“I love the vision of the administration—not just for the athletic programs, but for maintaining the integrity of a Christian education. I am excited to be part of that vision and help grow the volleyball program here,” Wilkes stated.
Her decision to return to Spurgeon College is also rooted in personal connections, as she and her husband are members of Heritage Baptist Church, a new church plant near the college. The opportunity allowed her to return to the Northland and be close to their church community.
Wilkes stated that the combination of personal investment and professional commitment makes this move particularly meaningful.
In addition to her coaching success, Wilkes was also an accomplished player. She competed at Faith Baptist Bible College for the entirety of her collegiate career, earning numerous honors—including NCCAA Division II All-American Second Team, ACCA All-American First Team selections as a junior, and NCCAA Division II Libero of the Year as a senior.
Sam Bierig, dean of Spurgeon College, said of Wilkes’ return to the school, “In many ways, this is a homecoming for Coach Wilkes, but she is coming back with a surplus of experience and success that accompanies her record.”
Bierig also stated that Wilkes has the right personality to take the Spurgeon College volleyball team to the next level. He said, “Coach Wilkes has the right character, competence, and competitive mentality to elevate Spurgeon Knights Girls Volleyball to the next level and to lead us into the next era.”
He went on to say, “Coach Wilkes is the exact kind of Christ-follower this program needs. She is a proven winner and recruiter. Her record and reputation stand for themselves.”
As she has been preparing for this new transition, Wilkes has been thinking ahead to key priorities for this upcoming season.
“I think the top priority is building relationships with the current members of the team and building positive team culture so that we can be successful going forward,” Wilkes said.
She emphasized that building a strong team culture goes hand-in-hand with careful preparation. “My next priorities are working with Coach Deaton to recruit and grow the roster, and training hard with the team in the offseason to be ready for fall competition,” she said.
Wilkes’ hiring is an exciting new chapter for the Spurgeon College volleyball team. The community at Spurgeon College is looking forward to seeing her leadership and vision take the program to the next level.
