DSU volleyball coach Maura Bronte submits resignation

• Maura Bronte

Maura Bronte

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The Dickinson State volleyball team’s season has taken an unexpected turn.

Maura Bronte resigned her duties as the Blue Hawks’ head coach and instructor in DSU’s health and physical education department on Tuesday, the same day as DSU traveled to play former Dakota Athletic Conference rival Jamestown College.

Bronte cited personal reasons for her resignation.

“There are more good things coming in my life,” said Bronte, who was in the middle of her second season as coach. “Being around coaching wouldn’t let it happen.”

Jamestown College beat DSU 25-19, 25-13, 25-17 on Tuesday night.

Assistant coach Jennifer Hartman, a former player who is still a student at DSU, handled the primary coaching duties for the match.

“They definitely fought well and played hard,” Hartman said. “They played their hearts out again.”

DSU athletic director Tim Daniel said another coaching staff member will assist Hartman during upcoming matches. On Tuesday night, head softball coach Kristen Fleury and Pattie Carr, the interim vice president of student development, were with the team.

“We would like to thank Maura for her past efforts to the DSU athletic department and to Dickinson State,” Daniel said in a press release. “We wish her the best of luck in her future endeavors.”

Hartman and Daniel said they could not comment further on Bronte’s resignation.

The Blue Hawks have a 2-10 overall record and are off to a 0-3 start in the Frontier Conference. The team has shown signs of improvement after struggling to a 0-26 season in Bronte’s first year at DSU in 2011.

“I think they definitely have the potential,” Bronte said.

Bronte said her decision was not unexpected.

“I kind of had to weigh the pros the cons and the pros definitely won out,” Bronte said.

Bronte’s resignation is another turn in the saga of the DSU volleyball team, which has had just one winning season since Dave Moody resigned as head coach following the 2007 season. Moody led the Blue Hawks to numerous accolades over 18 seasons, including the school’s first NAIA national championship in 200.

Bronte replaced Ryan Platt, who replaced Moody and coached DSU for three seasons before resigning in December 2010 — shortly after the volleyball program was placed on probation by the NAIA for violations involving inappropriate conduct and the use of ineligible players.

It has been determined that former DSU President Richard McCallum approved scholarship award increases to student-athletes who were or had been members of the volleyball team during Platt’s tenure as coach.

The program is no longer on probation.

Tags: dsu blue hawks, blue hawks, sports, volleyball