Seals Steps Down After 18 Years With EC Women's Volleyball

BOSTON, Mass. – Following 18 years of coaching the Emmanuel College Women's Volleyball program, Head Coach Denitra Seals has announced her decision to step down from the position. Seals notified the Athletic Department and Emmanuel College administration of her resignation on Tuesday, June 30 and will also relinquish her administrative role in the department as Senior Woman Administrator (SWA).

"This was a very tough decision for me to make," said Seals. "I have enjoyed working for Emmanuel College for the past 18 years and appreciated the support during my tenure."

Seals began her career with the Saints in 2002 as the lead Assistant Coach to the Women's Volleyball program under previous Head Coach Joseph Seid. During that span, she helped the program advance to the GNAC title match in 2003 before winning three consecutive GNAC Championships in 2004, 2005 and 2006. Seals was then promoted to Head Coach prior to the start of the 2007 campaign after Seid stepped down.

For the last 13 seasons, Seals coached the Saints to a total of 191 wins and exits with the second-most Head Coaching victories in the program's history, only behind her predecessor Seid (308). She led Emmanuel to a total of 11 Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) tournament berths during her Head Coaching tenure including 10 straight trips to the conference tourney in her first 10 seasons. Over her Emmanuel tenure, she coached a total of 45 all-conference players including three GNAC Rookie of the Year recipients (2003, 2006 & 2013) and the 2011 GNAC Defensive Player of the Year. Seals was named the GNAC Coach of the Year in both 2013 and 2014 and was on the GNAC Coaching staff of the year as an Assistant in 2004, 2005 & 2006.

"Denitra is an amazing Coach and gave a tremendous amount of herself and passion for the game to the Emmanuel Women's Volleyball program," said Emmanuel College Director of Athletics and Recreation Brendan McWilliams. "Her commitment to the college over the past 18 years was a testament to her desire to help mold and develop student-athletes of character and ultimately young professionals."

Seals was a former Division I player for Farleigh Dickinson University where he received a B.S. in Biology. In 2007, she was inducted into the Athletic Hall of Fame at FDU.  As a collegiate player, Seals was a four-year 1st Team All-Conference selection for the North East Conference. In her freshman season, she was the North East Conference Newcomer of the Year. By her junior and senior seasons, Seals was named team captain and selected the Most Valuable Player. She was also named Female Athlete of the Year and Woman of the Year for the New Jersey Association of Intercollegiate Athletics for Women in 1997.

The Emmanuel Athletic Department wants to wish Coach Seals continued success in all her future endeavors and thank her for 18 great years with the Saints!