SPRINGFIELD – Missouri State head volleyball coach Steven McRoberts announced the hire of one of his former players, Manuela Ibarguen, as an assistant coach for the Bears on Monday.
Ibarguen, who starred as an outside hitter for MoState in 2021 and 2022 and earned first-team all-Missouri Valley Conference honors her senior year, joins the indoor coaching staff after serving as an assistant with the beach team in the spring 2024 season, where she helped the Bears to a 26-7 mark that set the school record for both victories and winning percentage.
“I’m very excited to come back and work with the girls and give back to the program that has helped me through a lot of my life,” Ibarguen said of her new role. “I’m looking forward to getting to work and seeing the team from another perspective and helping them as much as I can.”
Originally from Colombia, Ibarguen played 53 matches and 200 sets in her two seasons at Missouri State, ending her career with 635 kills, 43 assists, 58 service aces, 527 digs and 85 total blocks.
“We’re really happy to add Ela to our staff,” McRoberts added. “She brings a lot of experience and energy to the court. I know the team is going to love to have her around and learning from her.”
Prior to coming to Springfield, she played at Polk State College in Florida, earning Mid-Florida Conference Player of the Year and Female Athlete of the Year honors in 2019 while helping the Eagles to a 20-0 start, No. 1 national ranking and eventual fourth-place finish at the NJCAA Division I Championship.
She graduated from MSU with a degree in sports medicine and a pair of undergraduate certificates in nutrition in December 2023.
