In 11 years at Union, Collins has produced 219 career victories at Union, the most by any coach in the program's 35 year history.
Collins became the winningest coach in volleyball program history early during the 2007 season, and recorded her 200th career victory on October 24, 2009 vs. Colby Sawyer. Under her leadership, the Dutchwomen put together the first back-to-back 20-win seasons in the history of the program (23-11 in 2002 following the 25-13 season in 2001), garnered the program’s first ever invitations to the ECAC and NCAA Tournaments, and won the program’s first ever Liberty League title during the 2007 season. The 2008 team went 36-6, posting the most victories of any sports team in Union's 149 years of athletics.
In her first four years at the helm, Coach Collins led the Dutchwomen into three consecutive New York State Women's Collegiate Athletic Association championship tournaments – a first ever accomplishment, the Garnet's first-ever NCAA appearance (2002), and the team's first-ever ECAC championship tournament (2001).
In 2008, the Dutchwomen went 15-1 at home at the Viniar Athletic Center, and hosted an NCAA Division III Regional Championship. The loss to New Paltz in the regional final ended the 15 match home victory streak. Union entered the month of October with a remarkable 21-1 record. Junior Veronica Mynders became the program's second ever AVCA All American to cap the 36 victory season.
The 2007 team establishing a then-new record for wins in a season with 28 eclipsing the mark from the 2001 season of 25, winning the program’s first league title, and hosting a first ever ECAC Volleyball Championship. The 2007 season saw the program’s first ever recipient of an AVCA All American, Honorable Mention selection, Rachel Ormsby and the NYSWCAA Co-Defensive Player of the Year, Veronica Mynders. Coach Collins was also selected as the AVCA NY Region Coach of the Year.
The 2002 squad finished second in the conference championship, participated in their third consecutive New York State Women’s Collegiate Athletic Association championship event and received the program’s first ever bid to the NCAA Volleyball Championships.
Her 2001 squad won a then school-record 25 games and was invited to the ECAC North postseason championship tournament. Union also participated in its second consecutive New York State Women's Collegiate Athletic Association championship event and finished second in their conference championship event (the Upstate Collegiate Athletic Association).
Her rookie season of 2000 saw the Dutchwomen finish with an overall record of 18-14 and their first invitation to the New York State Women's Collegiate Athletic Association championship tournament since 1996.
Several of the players that Coach Collins recruited and coached are among the program’s all-time career record holders.
Prior to taking over the Dutchwomen's program, Coach Collins spent the 1998 and 1999 seasons as the head volleyball and head softball coach at Randolph Macon Women's College in Lynchburg, Virginia. During the 1996 and 1997 volleyball seasons, Sandy was the head volleyball coach at Russell Sage College in Troy, New York. Previous to the 1995 season at Union, Sandy coached at the high school level, heading up a successful program at Bethlehem Central, where she also taught physical education for 10 years. She was the Dutchwomen's top assistant during the 1995 campaign.
Coach Collins is an active volleyball clinician, directing the Union College Volleyball Camp and coaching at numerous volleyball camps throughout the Eastern United States. In addition, Sandy has had an article about jump serving published in The Best of Volleyball: Basic Elements of the Game and in Coaching Volleyball: Offensive Fundamentals and Techniques.
Coach Collins has attained Level II in the U.S.A. Volleyball Coaching Accreditation Program. She is also an A.C.E. certified personal trainer, a nationally certified kickboxing instructor, and an expert in Title IX issues and women's participation in sports.
Sandy received her B.S. in physical education from Russell Sage College in 1987 where she also played intercollegiate volleyball. She received her Master of Physical Education with a concentration in Teaching and Administration from Springfield in 1997. Collins was inducted into the Russell Sage Athletics Hall of Fame on October 14, 2006.
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COACH COLLINS AT UNION
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| 2010 |
18-19 |
Qualified for Liberty League Championship Tournament. Eve Richards named to Liberty League First Team. |
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20-20
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Third straight 20 win season...Sandy Collins wins 200th career match, first Union coach in history to record 200 victories...Veronica Mynders selected to Liberty League First Team and Eve Richards named to second team...Bridget Little selected to ESPN the Magazine/CoSIDA Academic All-District Second Team.
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2008
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36-6
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Union recorded the most victories of any team in Union College Athletics' 149 year history...second straight Liberty League Championship...Veronica Mynders named AVCA All American...team was 15-1 at home...hosted an NCAA Div. III Regional Tournament, losing to New Paltz in the regional finals...Mynders and Rachel Ormsby named to AVCA All Regional Team...Ormsby was the Liberty League Co-Player of the Year...Collins and Assistant Coach Jason Wood received the league's Coaching Staff of the Year Award...Mynders was league First Team, Julie LaSpina and Eve Richards were Second Team, and Mynders was the All-Tournament MVP.
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| 2007 |
28-12
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Guided Union to its first ever Liberty League Title…fastest team to twenty wins in program history…set Union record for wins in a season (28)…Veronica Mynders named NYSWCAA Co-Defensive Player of the Year…Rachel Ormsby named AVCA All American, Honorable Mention and NYSWCAA All State First Team…became winningest coach in volleyball program history… named AVCA NY Region Coach of the Year… Erin Schumaker, Rachel Ormsby, and Veronica Mynders named to Liberty League All Conference Team
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2006
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12-23
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Lauren Lesce named Liberty League Co-Rookie of the Year and to the NYSWCAA All State Team... Mary Volcko, Danna DeBlasio and Erin Schumaker named to Liberty League All-Conference teams.
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2005
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9-29
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Placed Erin Schumaker on the Liberty League All Conference Team
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2004
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14-18
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Placed three players, Jessica Meliosky, Sue Gestwick, and Suzy Barbaritz on the Liberty League All-Conference team.
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2003
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16-18
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Placed three players, Julie Moran, Jessica Meliosky, and Sue Gestwick on the UCAA All-Conference team.
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2002
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23-11
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Guided Union to its first-ever NCAA appearance...Participated in third-straight NYSWCAA tournament...Put together the first back-to-back 20-win seasons in the 28-year history of the sport...Finished second in the UCAA championship tournament… Sarah Pontius and Corinn Jordan named to UCAA All Conference Team
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2001
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25-13
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Guided Union to its first-ever ECAC appearance...Participated in second-straight NYSWCAA tournament...Set Union record for wins in a season (25)...Finished second in the UCAA championship tournament…Sarah Pontius, Sue Gestwick, and Corinn Jordan named to UCAA All Conference Team
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2000
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18-14
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Guided Union to its first invitation to the NYSWCAA tournament since 1996...Finished third in the UCAA championship tournament…Audrey Brennan and Corinn Jordan named to UCAA All Conference Team
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219-183
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