Kimberly Lambert began her tenure as head coach with the University of Delaware volleyball program, effective February 21, 2022. Lambert recently completed her sixth season with the Blue Hens this past Fall 2022, her first at the helm. Lambert previously held the associate head coach tag for three seasons, garnering the promotion in July of 2019.
Lambert’s second year was one of the most successful seasons in Blue Hens history. Delaware made the NCAA Tournament after winning their fifth CAA Conference Tournament Championship by defeating Towson on their home court. Along the way, Delaware won 15 consecutive matches, the longest win streak in program history. Delaware also won a program record 11 road matches. To begin the season, the Blue Hens opened up non-conference play by going 7-1, winning the Blue Hen Invitational and Roadrunner Classic. Early in conference play, Delaware defeated Towson on Sept. 22 – their first win over the Tigers since 2016. A reverse sweep victory over Charleston to begin October started Delaware 15-match win streak. Delaware endured a 14-set win streak also during the stretch, as well as two more reverse sweep comeback victories over Hofstra and UNCW, and finished October 9-0 and 27-8 in sets overall. Four more wins to start November put Delaware’s CAA record 15-3, earning the second seed in the conference tournament. After defeating Campbell in four sets, Delaware defeated Towson in four to earn a trip to the NCAA Tournament, and took on No. 8 seed Missouri in Lincoln, Neb. Lani Mason was named First-Team All-CAA, Ezgi Basaranlar and Kirah Johnson were Second-Team All-CAA, and Gha’Naye Whitfield-Moss was named CAA All-Rookie. Delaware’s three All-Conference honorees are their most since 2011. Lambert won 41 games in her first two seasons, the most by a Delaware head coach. Their 24 wins in 2023 were their most since winning 26 in 2010 and their .828 winning percentage is their second best in program history (.861 in 2007). Nationally, Delaware finished 22nd in aces per set (1.86), 37th in hitting percentage (.257), and 20th in winning percentage (.828). Savannah Seemans finished nationally fifth in aces per set (0.58) and total aces (64), Mason finished 27th in aces per set (0.46) and total aces (51).
In her first year as head coach, Lambert had a memorable one concluding the year with a 17-11 record, 10-6 mark in conference play, 6-4 record in the friendly confines of Bob Carpenter Center, 7-6 mark away from Newark and 4-1 record on neutral grounds. In the home opener on August 31, the Blue Hens claimed the straight-set victory over George Washington, marking Lambert earning her first victory at the helm of the program. After starting 1-4 on the young season, Delaware turned it around on Sept. 9 at the Winthrop Tournament. The Blue Hens put together an incredible run that showcased a nine-match winning streak from Sept. 9 through Oct. 3, winning 27 of 31 sets played, including winning 12-straight. The Blue Hens played in 10 five-set thrillers and finished with a 6-4 record. After being projected to finish fourth in CAA Standings, Delaware exceeded expectations, clinched a berth against UNCW (Oct. 29) and secured the third seed heading into the tournament. The Blue Hens advanced to its first CAA title match since 2016 after capturing back-to-back five-set thrilling victories over Charleston and William & Mary, respectively.
Lambert guided a spectacular season from AVCA All-American honorable mention, AVCA East All-Region, ECAC Offensive Player of the Year, CAA Player of the Year, first team all-conference and all-tournament selection Lani Mason. Mason is the third player in Delaware program history to collect the AVCA All-America recognition, eighth Blue Hen to earn a spot on the AVCA all-region team and the first one to be recognized since the 2019 season. She is also the Blue Hens’ second CAA Player of the Year since 2007. Ezgi Basaranlar was also honored as a CAA second-team selection for the second-straight year and earned a spot on the all-tournament team.
As associate head coach, Lambert has helped coach the Blue Hens to two Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) Tournament appearances in two out of the last three seasons, including a semifinal showing in 2021. Delaware finished the 2021 season with a 15-13 overall record and a .500 mark in conference play. The Blue Hens also had three players earn all-conference honors in 2021.
Prior to Delaware, Lambert served as the assistant coach at North Carolina State and one season as the director of operations from 2013-16. North Carolina State won 20 matches in her final fall, posted a school-record 13 Atlantic Coast Conference victories, and notched the first top 10 win in program history with a victory at 10th-ranked Florida State. As an assistant coach Lambert worked with the Wolfpack outside hitters and passers, while recruiting the West Coast. Under her tutelage, Dariyan Hopper finished the 2014 season ranked among the top 10 in the ACC in kills.
Lambert spent four seasons as the top assistant coach at Marshall from 2009-12. While with the Herd, helped guide Marshall to a 22-9 record in 2009.
Lambert served three seasons as the head coach at Texas A&M-Corpus Christi from 2006-08, where she was one of the youngest head coaches in Division I. She coached the 2006 Southland Conference Newcomer of the Year in Christie Feliz, who ended her career as the school’s leader in kills per set.
Lambert also served as the top assistant at UTEP from 2004-05, where she was the Miners’ recruiting coordinator, defensive coordinator and outside hitters coach. She was the head coach at Caldwell (Texas) High School in 2003, when she led the Lady Hornets to the 3A State semifinals. She was named the District 18-3A Coach of the Year and the Brazos Valley Area Coach of the Year.
Lambert began her coaching career in 2002 as an assistant coach at Rice. A native of Sugar Land, Texas, Lambert played collegiately at Texas A&M-Kingsville and earned a bachelor’s degree in kinesiology in 2001.
Lenika Vazquez – Associate Head Coach
Vazquez comes to Delaware after spending five seasons as the head coach at Northeastern, where she won 55 games and led the program to four CAA Tournament appearances. Under Vazquez’s guidance, Northeastern had eight All-Conference honorees – three First-Team and five Second-Team selections – as well as four All-Rookie team selections. Notably, she coached Samantha Shupe to a Setter of the Year honor in spring of 2021. In 2022, Northeastern won 10 conference games for the first time since 2017. The Huskies were also strong academically, having received the AVCA Team Academic Award.
Before her tenure at Northeastern, Vazquez was the head coach of Canisius for four seasons. Vazquez orchestrated an impressive rebuild that saw the Golden Griffins win at least 15 games in back-to-back seasons in 2018 and 2019, the first time Canisius did so since 2011 and 2012, and led the Golden Griffins to consecutive second-place finishes in the MAAC. She mentored the 2018 MAAC Libero of the Year and was able to coach and develop six MAAC All-Rookie Team selections in three years. Canisius also had three First-Team MAAC selections and five Second-Team selections. She also founded the Building Champions Project, connecting student-athletes with local schools to foster community relationships.
Prior to Canisius, Vazquez was an assistant coach at Butler from 2012-2015 during one of the program’s most successful periods. She helped the Bulldogs to consecutive 20-win seasons, had an All-American Honorable Mention, three All-East Region selections, and four All-Conference honors. The 12 conference wins in 2014 are the second most in program history.
Vazquez also has spent time as a head coach at Chicago State and was an assistant coach at South Suburban College and Southern Illinois. Additionally, she co-founded Illiana Explosive Volleyball Club. As a player at Southern Illinois, she was a four-year defensive specialist and helped the Salukis to a 19-win season and a third place finish in the Missouri Valley Conference in 1998.
Addie Riviera – Assistant Coach
Addie Rivera joins the Delaware’s volleyball staff as an assistant coach, effective July 1, 2024.
Rivera returns to Delaware after spending two seasons at Ole Miss, where she was the Rebels’ Tech Coordinator in 2024 and a volunteer assistant in 2023. She was responsible for advanced statistics and film for the program and worked directly with the coaching staff in putting together scouting reports and detailed analytics in match. She also assisted the coaching staff in shifting the program culture.
As a student-athlete for the Blue Hens, Rivera appeared in 33 matches and 105 sets, totalling 192 career kills and 98 total blocks, leading the team in blocks in back-to-back seasons. As a redshirt-freshman in 2019, she appeared in 27 matches and 85 sets, and her season was highlighted with a 17-kill match against Hofstra in a first-round win of the CAA Tournament. She also had a season-high nine blocks at Incarnate Word on Sept. 13. During the 2020-21 season, she ranked in the top-10 in the CAA in blocks per set, posting a season-best eight against West Virginia on March 29, to go along with a season-high 13 kills.
A graduate of Emmaus High School in Macungie, Pa., Rivera totaled nearly 800 kills and 250 blocks in her four years as a varsity starter and was a multiple-time All-Conference, All-State, and All-District selection.
Hunter Ray – Assistant Coach
Ray comes to Delaware after spending one season at Southern Illinois, where he assisted in training the Cougars’ middle blockers and setters. During his time at SIUE, MB Nicole Medlin earned second-team All-Conference honors and finished first in the Ohio Valley in blocks per set. He also helped organize recruiting operations for prospective student-athletes, helped coaches navigate the transfer portal, and led film sessions for positional groups.
Prior to SIUE, Ray was a graduate assistant at Ole Miss, where he coordinated drill preparation while assisting in recruiting and scouting duties. Ray also possesses experience coaching at the club level, serving as an assistant coach with United VBA in New Braunfels, Texas. He coordinated the development of the U-15 National Level club with the planning of practice and organized and scheduled team tournaments.
Ray has also made stops at Texas State and Northern Iowa. He was a practice player for both programs and played for both school’s club teams. At Texas State, he was his squad’s team captain and led the team in kills and aces. He was also team captain at Northern Iowa. He holds a degree in public health from Texas State and in higher education from Ole Miss.
