The Rudnick-Hong File

Personal Information
Birthday	October 10
Hometown	Tinley Park, Ill.
Education	Liberty, 2005 (Bachelor's) Liberty, 2008 (Master's)
Playing Career	Liberty, 2001-04
Husband	Jake

Coaching History
2005	Heart of Virginia Volleyball Club - Head Coach
2006-07	Liberty - Graduate Assistant
2010-11	Heart of Virginia Volleyball Club - Head Coach
2011-14	Liberty - Assistant Coach
2015-present	West Virginia - Assistant Coach

Rebecca Rudnick-Hong enters her fourth season as an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator at West Virginia in the fall of 2018.

A former Big South Conference First Team honoree, Rudnick-Hong has translated her experience on the court to success with the Mountaineers, helping lead the WVU volleyball program to a solid list of “firsts” in 2017. West Virginia collected 21 wins for the first time since 1991 and advanced to the postseason for the second time in program history, reaching the National Invitational Volleyball Championship (NIVC) Semifinals. The Mountaineers also upset No. 14 Kansas in the team’s regular-season finale for their first-ever win over a top-25 team.

Under Rudnick-Hong’s tutelage, the Mountaineer defense finished the 2017 season with 274.5 total blocks, including 40 solo blocks, to average 2.20 per set to rank fourth in the Big 12 Conference. Senior Mia Swanegan, a three-year starter at middle blocker, emerged as one of the conference’s leading blockers, finishing third in league action with 1.23 blocks per set. She earned postseason recognition for the first time in her career, landing on the 2017 All-Big 12 Second Team. Outside hitter Payton Caffrey also was named to the 2017 All-Big 12 First Team for the second time in her career, as well as to the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) All-Midwest Regional Honorable Mention Team.

The 2016 season saw WVU more than double its 2015-win total, as the Mountaineers recorded their first Big 12 victory at Texas Tech in September. Setter Erin Slinde and Caffrey landed on the All-Big 12 Freshman Team. In addition, Caffrey became the first Mountaineer in program history to earn American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) Regional Freshman of the Year accolades, while earning AVCA All-Midwest Region and All-Big 12 First Team honors.

Rudnick-Hong arrived in Morgantown having spent a total of six seasons at Liberty in Lynchburg, Virginia. She served as an assistant coach from 2011-14 after spending the 2006 and 2007 seasons as a graduate assistant.

The Lady Flames won a trio of Big South Conference Championships and earned NCAA Tournament berths in 2007, 2011 and 2012. Rudnick-Hong helped Liberty post a program-record 27 wins in 2007 and a program-best win percentage of .758 with a 25-8 mark in 2012. She also guided Loren Thomas to a single-season program record with 155 blocks in 2011, as well as a single-game mark of 13 at Winthrop. Caroline Douglas was named the 2012 Big South Player of the Year, while 10 Lady Flames earned All-Big South First Team accolades and eight Lady Flames garnered second team honors. Liberty also has earned four AVCA Team Academic Awards during her tenure.

Rudnick-Hong also spent time as a reading specialist and first grade teacher at a Lynchburg elementary school and taught third grade in Homewood, Illinois. She continued coaching during her teaching career and coached the Celtic Force Volleyball Club (Palos Heights, Illinois), the Heart of Virginia Volleyball Club (Lynchburg, Virginia) and served as a volunteer assistant at Randolph College.

A four-year letterwinner at Liberty, Rudnick-Hong helped the Lady Flames to the 2001 Big South Championship and advanced to the NCAA Tournament. She ranks 11th all-time at Liberty with 1,164 career kills. Rudnick-Hong was a 2003 All-Big South First Team honoree and was selected to the All-Big South Tournament Team in 2004. She graduated with high honors from Liberty in 2005, earning a bachelor’s degree in elementary education. Rudnick-Hong later earned a master’s in education in 2008.