Luke Young begins his eighth season with the SIUE volleyball program and was named the associate head coach in June 2017. Young serves as Offensive Coordinator for the Cougars and primarily trains the setters and middles. In 2018, the Cougars lead the OVC in Kills per set and Assists per set. Senior setter Sami Knight was named to the 14 person Preseason All-OVC team, sophomore outside Rachel McDonald was named First Team All-OVC, and red-shirt sophomore middle blocker Hope Everett garnered OVC Freshman of the Year honors.  During the 2017 season, SIUE accomplished a second straight runner-up finish in the OVC, while also earning an RPI of 92 and an automatic bid into the National Invitational Volleyball Championship behind a 23 win season, the most in the Division I era. Senior middle Taylor Joens was named First Team All-OVC while senior outside Ashley Witt earned Second Team All-OVC honors.  In 2016, SIUE leaped to the forefront of the OVC, earning an RPI of 100 while advancing to the OVC Tournament Championship match for the second time. In 2016, he was part of the coaching staff that earned Ohio Valley Conference Coach of the Year honors while recording 22 wins, the most in the Division I era at that time. Junior middle Taylor Joens was named First Team All-OVC while junior outside Jackie Scott and senior setter Mallory Mangun were named Second Team All-OVC. During the post-season, junior libero Katie Shashack and Mangun were named to the 7 person OVC All-Tournament team. Young's primary focus has been on the Cougar offense with SIUE posting Division I bests in kills per set, assists per set and attack percentage. SIUE's defense was stellar, ranking sixth nationally in opponent hitting percentage (.148) and 18th in digs per set (17.40). SIUE also was among the top 100 nationally in team digs, blocks per set, total blocks, and team attacks per set. The SIUE volleyball program has been at the front of the line for academics, posting better than a 3.5 grade point average over each of the last four semesters, including an SIUE Athletics department-leading 3.638 during the fall of 2015 and a 3.643 during the spring of 2016. Three honorees - Taylor Joens, Jackie Scott and Mallory Mangun - were named to the 2016 All-OVC team. SIUE boasted two 2016 All-OVC Tournament members in Mangun and Katie Shashack. Young helped develop SIUE's first player to ever playing professional indoors. Kristen Torre, of Highland, signed a professional contract with Prowin Volleys in Germany becoming the first Cougar to play professionally indoors. Torre, a two-time All-OVC middle hitter in 2014 and 2015, was discovered by the German team on an international tour in Croatia playing for Team BIP. The 2014 season was a busy one for the Cougars that included a road victory over Southeastern Conference power Mississippi State. Cori Harris was named an OVC Scholar-Athlete, the most prestigious award handed out by the league. Senior Chelsea Colclasure also broke the school record for career digs and finished among the top five among active players in digs. Colclasure also was the first player in school history to record 500 or more digs in four straight seasons. A former volunteer assistant coach for SIUE, Young has had coaching stops at Washington University, Lindenwood University and Graceland University. Serving as the interim head coach at Washington University in 2013, Young guided the Bears to a 27-8 record, including an appearance in the second round of the NCAA Division III Volleyball Championships. That team featured Caroline DuPont, the AVCA Division III National Freshman of the Year and first team All-American. While at Washington University, his teams includes two All-Americans, two All-Region performers, five All-Conference players, and one Academic All-Region honoree. Before his time at Washington University, Young spent the previous six seasons at Lindenwood, where he assisted both the men's and women's volleyball programs. The Lady Lions compiled 141 wins, two appearances in the NAIA National Invitational Tournament and three conference championships. Young also helped lead the Lindenwood men's program to 146 victories, including an NAIA national championship in 2009, a Final Four appearance in 2011, four National Invitational Tournament appearances and three conference titles. Young helped both programs make the transition to NCAA Division II competition in 2012. He helped foster both academic and athletic success while at Lindenwood, producing six NAIA All-Americans, 21 All-Conference selections, six NAIA Scholar-Athletes and two Lindenwood Scholar-Athlete of the Year honorees. Before joining Lindenwood's staff, Young spent time at Graceland University in Lamoni, Iowa, as a student assistant coach. Prior to joining the collegiate ranks as a coach, Young coached high school volleyball at Cornerstone Christian Academy in Sycamore, Illinois, and Holt High School in Wentzville, Missouri. Young led the Cornerstone Royals to the 2006 ACS Illinois State Championships. Young received his bachelor of arts in visual communications and studio art from Graceland in 2004. During his undergraduate days at Graceland, Young was a member of the volleyball and track and field programs. Young continued his education at Northern Illinois University, where he earned his master's of fine arts degree in studio art.