Frohlich returns home

COEUR d'ALENE - Former Coeur d'Alene High volleyball standout Colleen (Jantz) Frohlich has been named volleyball coach at North Idaho College, NIC athletic director Al Williams announced.

Frohlich replaces Chris Kosty, who resigned in March after two seasons to take an assistant coaching job at Indiana.

Frohlich played volleyball at Montana, then later coached high school volleyball in Montana, and also was an assistant at the University of Montana, and also was interim head coach for one season.

"Colleen had an outstanding career as a collegiate volleyball player and has shown the ability to be an exceptional coach," Williams said. "She is familiar with recruiting in the Northwest and understands what it takes to win in the competitive Scenic West Athletic Conference. We are excited to bring Colleen back to the Coeur d'Alene area to continue our success at this level."

Frohlich graduated from Coeur d'Alene High School in 1988. As a senior in 1987, Frohlich (then Jantz) was a 6-foot-1 middle blocker in leading the Vikings to their first state volleyball championship.

She was named to the state A-1 volleyball all-tournament first team.

At Montana, Frohlich was a starter on the team that went 26-4 and undefeated in Big Sky Conference play at 16-0 her junior year. She was named first-team All-Big Sky Conference as a senior and was a two-time Big Sky Player of the Week as well as a member of the Big Sky All-Tournament team. She played for four Lady Griz teams that went a combined 87-31 and she was a member of Montana's first two NCAA tournament teams in 1990 and '91.

After college, Frohlich served as junior varsity and assistant varsity volleyball coach at Florence-Carlton High and Whitefish High in Montana. Those roles led her back to her alma mater where she served as an assistant volleyball coach at Montana and the interim head coach her final season.

"I was offered the head coaching position, but made a difficult decision to step back as I was pregnant with my second child," Frohlich said. "I have never left the sport and have been involved in many different aspects of the game."

Since leaving the University of Montana, Frohlich has served as the varsity volleyball coach at Loyola Sacred Heart High School in Missoula, Mont., and was instrumental in the formation of the Missoula Volleyball Association, a local volleyball club.

Frohlich will officially begin her coaching duties at NIC June 3. But she will come to NIC in the next week to meet with NIC volleyball players and speak at the NIC Booster Club luncheon at noon Tuesday at the Coeur d'Alene Outback Steakhouse. The luncheon is open to the public.