Kamryn Duffield makes a point during a session with the Northern Michigan University volleyball team. (Photo courtesy NMU)

MARQUETTE — Former assistant coach Kamryn Duffield has been promoted to the position of associate head coach of the volleyball team at Northern Michigan University.

Wildcats head coach Mike Lozier made the announcement on Thursday.

“I am thrilled to be able to elevate Kam to this new title,” Lozier said in an NMU Sports Information release announcing the news. “She is beyond deserving of the opportunity. Her role within the program has grown each year since she arrived, and her impact is constantly felt throughout practices and matches.”

Duffield came to NMU before the 2023 season and was noted for playing a key role in Northern’s success since then. The Wildcats have had a winning record each of the past two seasons, including a two-year combined 25-8 record in the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference, earning home court in the GLIAC Tournament quarterfinals as a top-four team each of those seasons.

“While I have pushed to grow our youth volleyball programming since I arrived, Kam made it happen,” Lozier said about another facet of the Northern program. “This past season, she took the reins of Marquette Youth Volleyball programming, which includes organizing and promoting sixth-, seventh- and eighth-grade volleyball in the Marquette area.

“Kam exemplifies what it means to be a part of NMU Volleyball. I know I speak for our athletes in our locker room, the members of our athletic staff, and the fans and alumni across the world when I say we are thrilled to have Kam as the new associate head coach of Northern Michigan Volleyball.”

Duffield is also gratified about her new position.

“I’m extremely humbled and honored to receive this title,” she said in the NMU SI release. “I feel very fortunate to work with the people I do every day and such a fabulous group of athletes.

“I want to say a huge thank you to head coach Mike Lozier. It’s through his mentorship and trust in me that I’ve been able to develop into the coach I am today.”

As a former setter herself, Duffield has been able to work closely with the team’s setters to help develop the Wildcats’ offense.

In her three seasons, she has been part of coaching 11 All-GLIAC selections, including back-to-back seasons with Northern’s primary setter earning All-GLIAC Second Team honors.

And she was part of the coaching of Jacqueline Smith, who earned All-American honorable mention in 2024.

Duffield had a standout career at fellow GLIAC member Wayne State, a setter there for five years, including during the COVID-19 pandemic year in 2020, and four-year captain from 2018-22. She graduated from WSU in 2022 with a bachelor’s degree in public relations.

She earned All-GLIAC awards five times, including First Team in 2021. Duffield totaled 4,814 assists, most in the Detroit school’s modern era, and ranks second there with 10.22 assists per set.

She also has Wayne State’s record with 71 assists in a match as she finished her career ranked sixth with 112 service aces and eighth with 1,037 digs.

Twice she was a Midwest Regional Crossover all-tournament team pick and two times was named a GLIAC Player of the Week.

During college, she also spent five years coaching with the Michigan Elite Volleyball Academy in Pontiac, assisting at the national level from 2021-23 as she helped the 16 Mizuno team finish second in the 16 Open division at the 2023 AAU Girls National Championship. Her charges were also ninth at the 2023 USA Volleyball Girls Junior National Championship.

Duffield is a native of the Detroit suburb of Romeo and attended Romeo High School.

“The community support for Wildcat volleyball is truly unmatched, and being able to find more ways to give back to that community has been very fulfilling not only for me, but for our athletes and staff too,” Duffield said. “I’m ecstatic about the present and future of Wildcat volleyball, and will continue to put my best foot forward to keep elevating not only this program but volleyball in the community of Marquette as well.”

Story contents based on Northern Michigan University Sports Information press release reviewing the news. Journal Sports Editor Steve Brownlee’s email address is sbrownlee@miningjournal.net.