Women’s Volleyball: Leja steps down at Vanguard

Eryn Leja has stepped down as Vanguard University women’s volleyball coach to pursue other professional opportunities, the school announced Wednesday.

Leja was the Lions’ head coach the last six seasons, after spending one season at Vanguard as an assistant. Her teams reached the NAIA Tournament five times and advanced to the quarterfinals in 2015, when the program earned its first Golden State Athletic Conference championship.

Leja was named GSAC Coach of the Year and Region Coach of the Year by the American Volleyball Coaches’ Assn. in 2015. She was 126-78 in six seasons, 63-31 in conference.

“Eryn Leja is one of the top up-and-coming volleyball coaches in the country,” Vanguard Athletic Director Rhett Soliday said in a statement. “Her body of work speaks for itself in how she’s proven her ability to lead winning teams.

“What’s more significant about Eryn, however, has been her commitment to her student-athletes and her ability to mentor and develop them into the kind of people that make Vanguard proud,” Soliday said. “Eryn is leaving Vanguard volleyball in a great place and it will continue to thrive because of the tireless work she’s poured in to creating a consistently excellent program.”

Soliday said the search for the next coach has begun.

— From staff reports