MENOMONIE (February 8, 2022) – After four years as the head coach and five years with the program, UW-Stout volleyball coach
Mandy Trautmann has resigned from the position, effective the end of February.
"I am grateful for the experience I've had at UW-Stout," Trautmann said. "Without the players, my assistants, especially (assistant coach) Pam (Schroeder); our athletic trainers, led by
Susan Lew; our bus driver, Mike; all the parents, families and friends in the Blue Devil volleyball community and (athletic director)
Duey Naatz and (associate athletic director)
Erin Sullivan, the experience would not have been the same."
Trautmann compiled a 49-37 record over her four seasons as head coach. Trautmann coached at least one Blue Devil to all-conference honors each year during her tenure. An all-conference libero during her playing days at UW-Oshkosh, Trautmann coached libero Steph Cannon to All-American honors in 2019.
Longtime assistant coach
Pam Schroeder is also leaving the program. Schroeder was an assistant coach for the Blue Devils for 18 seasons under three different head coaches. During her time with the Blue Devil program, Schroeder helped organize the Menomonie Sprawl, an annual high school volleyball tournament that brought as many as 32 high school teams to the Sports and Fitness Center for the two-day tournament the end of August.
"Thank you to Mandy and Pam for their hard work and dedication to the Blue Devil volleyball program over these past years," athletic director Naatz said. "We wish them nothing but the best in their future endeavors."
Trautmann will remember fondly when her Blue Devils defeated her alma mater UW-Oshkosh and paid up on a bet with her players to dye her hair blue.
Coming from a coaching family – she was coached in high school volleyball by her mother – Trautmann had an opportunity in 2019 to play the University of Dallas, which was coached by her older sister Kelli. The teams met in a tournament at the Washington University in St. Louis and the Blue Devils handed
Mandy Trautmann bragging honors with a 3-0 win.
While stepping away from volleyball now, Trautmann sees herself coming back to the sport that has been a big part of her entire life.
"Volleyball will always be a part of my life," Trautmann said, "whether it is playing or coaching."
A nation-wide search is underway for a new head coach.
Additional information about Mandy Trautmann
In her first season as a collegiate head coach in 2018, Trautmann led the team to a 16-13 overall record and to their first home WIAC tournament game since 2004. Junior libero Steph Cannon earned all-region honors and put her name on top of the Stout record book in digs for single season and career. Cannon and middle hitter Kennedy Strain earned first team all-WIAC honors.
In her second season as the Blue Devil head coach in 2019, libero Steph Cannon was named the WIAC defensive player of the year and went on to earn All-America honors. Cannon was also the WIAC Scholar-Athlete. Freshman middle hitter Lydia Knuebuehl earned All-WIAC honorable mention honors. During the regular season, Trautmann and her Blue Devils faced off against the University of Dallas program which is coached by Trautmann's older sister Kelli, earning family bragging rights with a 3-0 win, one of 13 3-0 wins by the Blue Devils.
Trautmann, a four-year standout at UW-Oshkosh, took over the Blue Devil program after a year as an assistant coach with the Blue Devil program in 2017.
Trautmann came to UW-Stout with a familiarity with the WIAC, earning honors in the league during her four years at UW-Oshkosh where she is second on the Titans' all-time list for digs. The team's libero, Trautmann earned WIAC Defensive Player of the Year honors in 2015 and was a first team all-region selection and an honorable mention AVCA All-America choice.
Trautmann was the team captain for UW-Oshkosh in 2015, a season the Titans captured the WIAC regular season championship. Trautmann was a two-time first team all-WIAC selection in 2014 and 2015, and an honorable mention choice in 2013. She was named to the all-WIAC defensive team in 2013, 2014 and 2015.
A December 2016 Oshkosh graduate with a degree in Kinesiology (strength and conditioning emphasis) and a minor in psychology, Trautmann was a Wellness Committee intern in the Shiocton School District and was the varsity volleyball coach at Shiocton High School in 2016.
A native of Seymour, Trautmann has been an assistant coach with the Wisconsin Academy Club and a coach with the Seymour Strikers 16. She has worked a number of summer volleyball camps and has coached volleyball and basketball in summer leagues in Seymour.
Coaching runs in the Trautmann family. Mandy's mother, Laura, was her high school volleyball coach at Seymour High School. Her father, Lyle, was the girls' high school basketball coach at nearby Clintonville High School. And her sister, Kelli, is the head volleyball coach at the University of Dallas, an NCAA Division III school.
Trautmann earned her Master's Degree in Rehabilitation Counseling from UW-Stout and is a certified rehabilitation counselor.
