The Official Athletics Website of Coe College

DeAnn Akins (Woodin) came to Coe in the fall of 2006. During her first season she led Coe to their first NCAA Tournament appearance in school history. Since taking over, Akins has led Coe to four conference titles and four NCAA appearances while coaching nearly over 60 all-conference performers and two offensive MVPs, most recently Madi Parson in 2022. 2023 marked the team's second-straight trip back to the NCAA tournament, claiming the A-R-C postseason trophy as the three seed, knocking off Loras, Nebraska Wesleyan and Dubuque in a magical postseason run. Coe picked up a pair of all-American honors for the second season in a row as Grace Lueken and Maddy Maahs earned their second-career all-American honors. In Atkins' career she has coached numerous all-region and all-American players including a program best three all-American honorees in 2022. Madi Parson was joined by Grace Lueken and Maddy Maahs as the first Kohawk trio to earn national honors in the same season.

Akins, a 2000 graduate of the University of Northern Iowa, spent 2005 serving as director of volleyball operations at the University of Iowa. The Hawkeyes were 14-19 in 2005.

Prior to serving at Iowa, Akins led Kirkwood Community College in Cedar Rapids to its first ever NJCAA Division II National Championship in 2003. Akins spent two seasons with the Eagles, won back-to-back conference (26-0) and regional titles (10-0) and was 81-25 overall (2003: 40-12; 2004: 41-13). She was named NJCAA Division II District C Coach of the Year in both 2003 and 2004, and was the 2003 AVCA Midwest Region Coach of the Year.

Akins, a native of Waverly, Iowa, worked as an assistant coach at Wartburg College during the 2002 season. She helped lead the Knights to their first 30-win season, first Iowa Conference title and the program's highest ever ranking at No. 7.

As a player, Akins began her career at the University of South Dakota before transferring to Northern Iowa. She played on the 1997 Panther team, then served as a student/volunteer assistant for four seasons. During that time, UNI won four consecutive Missouri Valley Conference titles and made four NCAA National Tournament appearances.

DeAnn Akins Year-by-Year