Stony Brook University Athletics

Stony Brook volleyball head coach Kristin Belzung announced the addition of Christiana Oyawale, former assistant coach at Barry University, to the program as an assistant coach on the Seawolves' staff for the 2024 season.  

In her first season with the Seawolves, Oyawale helped the team to a 16-13 (9-9 CAA) record to secure the No. 6 seed in the CAA Championship Tournament, ultimately falling in the First Round to third-seeded host, Towson. She assisted in the development of four Seawolves that were named All-CAA selections in Kali Moore (First Team), Leoni Kunz and Torri Henry (Second Team), and Quinn Anderson (All-Rookie Team). With standout performances on the court and in the classroom, Julia Patsos, Kunz, and Moore were also selected to the 2024-25 College Sports Communicators’ Academic All-District Team.

Oyawale comes to Long Island following a pair of seasons at Barry, where she helped the Buccaneers to a 39-24 record, going 21-19 in SSC play. During the 2022 season, the Bucs defeated Nova Southeastern, Lynn, and Tampa to dominate the NCAA South Regional and make it to the Elite Eight against Missouri-St. Louis. Oyawale played a pivotal role in the development of AVCA National Player of the Year and All-American selection Diana Akopova, SSC Rookie of the Year Varvara Osychenko, and All-Americans Marija Borcic and Djuly Schmorantz.
 
Prior to her time with the Bucs, Oyawale began her coaching career at Clarkson University where she spent three seasons under head coach Carol LaMarche. She helped the team to a 48-16 overall record with back-to-back trips to the NCAA Tournament. In 2019, the Knights went 28-6, winning the Regional Championship and advancing to the Division III final field. LaMarche and Oyawale were named the 2019 Liberty League Coaching Staff of the Year. The 2020 season would be cancelled due to the pandemic but a season later the squad went 20-10 while reaching the Regional Semifinals after defeating Stevenson 3-1 in the First Round.
 
During her tenure with Clarkson, nine Knights were named to the All-Liberty League teams, 16 earned All-Academic list, five were named AVCA All-America and three claimed CSC Academic All-America awards while earning a pair of Liberty League Championships.  
 
Oyawale graduated from Syracuse University in 2018 with a degree in Information Management and Technology. Over the course of four years, she tallied 257 kills and 167 blocks, averaging 0.93 kills per set and 0.61 blocks per set. Her greatest accomplishment as a collegiate athlete, helping the Orange reach the NCAA Tournament in 2018 for the first time in program history.