PRESS RELEASE: FEBRUARY 6, 2025

Vikings welcome volleyball coaching duo

Shaun Dryden, Stephanie Champine

St. Johns River State College announces the hiring of Shaun Dryden and Stephanie Champine as the new leaders of the indoor and beach volleyball programs. The husband-and-wife coaching duo brings a history of championship success, player development, and national recognition to the Vikings.

Champine and Dryden most recently elevated Richard Bland College’s volleyball program to national prominence, developing six NJCAA All-Americans in indoor volleyball and four in beach volleyball. Their leadership propelled the program to historic milestones, including a NJCAA Division II National Championship in indoor volleyball (2022), a runner-up finish at the NJCAA Beach Volleyball National Championship (2024), along with finishing 7th & 9th in 2023, 2024.

Champine earned NJCAA Division II Coach of the Year, AVCA Region Coach of the Year, and NJCAA National Championship Coach of the Tournament honors in 2022.

Over three seasons at Richard Bland, Champine & Dryden compiled an impressive 99-17 overall record, secured three consecutive NJCAA National Tournament appearances, and won 3 Region 10 Championships. Along with Region 10 Coach of the year in 2022 & 2024.

On the beach, the duo continued to make history, leading Richard Bland to a 21-8 record in their inaugural beach season, finishing 5th in the first-ever NJCAA Beach Volleyball National Tournament. Last spring, they built on that success finishing 2nd at the NJCAA Beach Volleyball National Tournament.

Before their tenure at Richard Bland, Champine was recruited to build a new program at Terra State (NJCAA D2). Alongside Dryden, they propelled Terra State to a nationally ranked program. With NJCAA National Tournament appearances in 2020 and 2021, finishing 9th and 6th place, respectively.

“I’m really excited about our new volleyball coaches. Shaun and Stephanie bring an energy to the program that has been much needed in the last few years,” said SJR State Athletic Director and Head Baseball Coach Ross Jones. “They are proven winners having won an NJCAA National Championship and part of their journey has been rebuilding programs. I’m very confident in saying that the best is yet to come for our program under Shaun and Stephanie’s leadership.”

Champine is a graduate of Austin Peay State University where she earned her Bachelor's Degree in Psychology. She is a Hall of Fame inductee and earned the MVP award in 2008, 2009, and Newcomber of the year 2008. Champine also received All American Honors and was Conference player of the year 2009. Champine started at a 2 year college (Owens Community College) in Toledo, Ohio where she is also in the Hall of Fame and has her jersey retired.

Dryden is a 2011 graduate of Indiana University Purdue University of Fort Wayne where he earned his Bachelor's Degree in Business Marketing and Management, and Master's Degree in Business Administration. He holds the Single Season Dig record. In 2014 Dryden trained with Falkenberg Vollibol Klub in Sweden. He participated in the USA Tour in Slovenia and Italy in 2015. Dryden played for the Blizzard Team in Serbia the following year.