Jena Otec

Biography

Former Purdue All-American Jena Otec joined the staff in January of 2026 as an assistant coach for the University of Louisville volleyball program. Otec, who spent three seasons on the staff at Western Kentucky, joins the Cardinals after a stint playing for the Grand Rapids Rise in the MLV (Major League Volleyball).In 2025, Otec helped lead WKU to its 18th NCAA appearance after winning its third straight Conference USA tournament title. The Hilltoppers finished their season with a 27-6 overall record, a 15-1 record in Conference USA play, and their 10th CUSA regular season championship and 11th CUSA tournament championship. Abby Schaefer and Tayler Baron combined for 648 digs under her tutelage. In 2024, her Hilltoppers finished their regular season on a 24-match winning streak, securing the Conference USA Tournament crown and the 19th CUSA championship (11 regular season, nine tournament). The Hilltoppers were led by CUSA Player of the Year Alyssa Cavanaugh, who was named the Tournament MVP. WKU went on to an NCAA appearance, where they fell to Minnesota 3-1 in Lexington, ending the season at 28-7 and 18-0 in the league. In her first season as a collegiate assistant during the 2023 campaign, Otec played a key role in guiding WKU to a 30–5 overall record and a perfect 16–0 conference mark, helping to lead the Hilltoppers to the regular-season championship, conference tournament title, and an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament. Under her guidance, defensive specialists Abby