GREEN BAY, Wis. – Green Bay volleyball head coach Abbey Sutherland has announced the return of one of the program's most accomplished student-athletes, as former Phoenix setter Calli Gentry has been named an assistant coach for the 2026 season.

Gentry returns to Green Bay after concluding an outstanding six-year playing career with the Phoenix that established her as one of the top setters in program history. A four-time All-Horizon League performer, Gentry finished her career ranked third all-time in school history with 4,257 assists while also ranking 10th in career service aces with 102.

"Bringing Calli back to Green Bay feels like a natural fit.," said Sutherland. "She helped build the culture we're so proud of today, and now she has the opportunity to impact it from the other side. She embodies our values, understands our expectations, and has earned the trust of everyone in this program. I trust Calli because she's humble enough to keep learning, competitive enough to push people to be better, and selfless enough to always put the team first. Combined with her recent Division I coaching experience, I know she'll make an immediate impact on our student-athletes and has an incredibly bright future in this profession."

Gentry capped her playing career in 2024 by earning Second Team All-Horizon League honors after appearing in 32 matches and leading the Phoenix with 1,180 assists while adding 358 digs. She was also named to the Horizon League All-Academic Team and the Horizon League All-Tournament Team, helping guide Green Bay throughout the season while cementing her place among the program's all-time greats.

"I couldn't be more excited to return to a program that gave me so much as a student-athlete," Gentry added. "This program helped shape who I am, both on and off the court, and it's an honor to come back in a new role. I'm incredibly grateful for the opportunity to give back to a program that had such a meaningful impact on my life. I'm excited to reconnect with this community, work alongside so many people who made my experience at Green Bay so special, and help create the same kind of positive, lasting experience that this program gave me."

Throughout her career, Gentry combined excellence on the court with success in the classroom. She was a three-time Horizon League All-Academic Team selection, earned Horizon League Academic Honor Roll recognition multiple times, and was presented with the Horizon League Sportsmanship Award in 2023.

A native of St. Charles, Ill., Gentry graduated from Green Bay with a Master of Science in Management. Gentry spent the spring of '25 as a volunteer assistant coach for Green Bay, where she helped the Phoenix with recruiting evaluations, training setters and middle/RS, planning practices and fundraising before going on to become a Director of Volleyball Operations at Marshall University. While at Marshall, she helped lead the program to a 7-9 conference record, the Herd's best conference record since the 2020 season.
 
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