University of Denver Volleyball

Megan Pendergast will enter her third season at the helm of the University of Denver volleyball program in 2025. In her second season at the helm, Pendergast led the Pioneers to a 13-15 record and owns a 27-27 overall record. Under Pendergast the Pioneers made a second-straight Summit League Tournament Semifinals appearance. DU had three All-Summit League selections in Cassie Davis, Molly Mirabelli and Jamia Johnson. In her first season with the Pioneers, Pendergast and her team earned a part of a four-way tie for the Summit League Regular Season Championship, and a Summit League Tournament Semifinals appearance. The Denver program continued to grow under Pendergast's leadership, with five All-Summit League selections. The Pioneers led the conference in blocks with an average 2.44 blk/s and aces with 1.85 avg/s. Cassie Davis highlighted the offensive front, finishing first in the league in kills per set (3.60) and points per set (4.30).

Former Pioneer libero Gianna Bartalo enters her first season on Megan Pendergast's staff in 2025 as an assistant coach. Bartalo led Denver in digs starting libero in 2021, 2022 and 2023 and ranks eighth all time in Denver program history with 1,202 career digs. In her final season at Cal, Bartalo posted 468 digs, good for the eighth-highest in a single season and fourth-best in the ACC. Returning to the University of Denver as an assistant coach is incredibly meaningful to her, as this program has shaped so much of who she is, both on and off the court.

Margaret Dean brings a wealth of experience and a true winner's mentality to our program. She's been successful everywhere she's been, and that championship mindset is something we value deeply. Margaret will be instrumental in running our offense and mentoring our setters. Her dynamic energy, ability to connect with people, and infectious personality make her not only an incredible coach but an immediate culture-builder in our gym. Dean joins the Pioneers after spending the last year as the Director of Volleyball Operations at Mississippi State where she coordinated the program's summer camps and oversaw the day-to-day operations of the MSU Volleyball team. The MSU alum led the Bulldogs to a historic 25-6 season and first ever NCAA Tournament appearance in 2021.