OUR DIRECTORS
The Directors and Lead Coaches for Carolina Sky are Michael and Mary Hansen
With more than 50 years of combined playing and coaching experience, Coach Mike and Coach Mary provide high-level instruction and leadership. Their approach emphasizes both individual skill development and team success, creating an environment where athletes improve, compete, and succeed.
Mike and Mary live in Chapin, SC and have two daughters. Their oldest is an elementary school teacher, and their youngest is a graduate of University of South Carolina and is attending law school at the University of Illinois Chicago.
"Carolina Sky’s success competing at the highest levels in South Carolina reflects the leadership, vision, and coaching expertise of Coach Mike and Coach Mary."
More About Mary Hansen
Coach Mary started playing volleyball in 9th grade at Baldwin High School in Pittsburgh, PA. She was a middle hitter on an undefeated PA state championship team. This team was subsequently inducted into the Western Pennsylvania Interscholastic League Hall of Fame. Mary played collegiate volleyball at California University of Pennsylvania (Cailfornia, PA) under coach Jing Pu, a former Chinese National Team coach. She was a 4-year starter and all-around player and 3-year co-captain. Her team won consecutive Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference championships. Mary earned all-conference honors her sophomore through senior years. Coach Mary started coaching volleyball in 2013 as a head coach for the Beaver Valley Premier volleyball club (Aliquippa, PA). In 2017 she joined the Pittsburgh Elite Volleyball Club (www.pittsburghelitevolleyballl.com) as an assistant coach. She is currently a coach at Mid-Carolina High School. She has completed numerous coaching training programs, including USA Volleyball Coaching Accreditation Program (CAP) training, NFHS Fundamentals of Coaching training, IMPACT training, and SafeSport training. She has attended the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) annual convention regularly for the past 10 years. Coach Mary has a PhD from the University of Pittsburgh and is a currently a Professor at the University of South Carolina (Go Gamecocks!). She loves traveling, hiking, and spending time with her two grown daughters. Coach Mary and Coach Mike live in Chapin with their two cats, and they love Lake Murray! She is excited to grow the sport of volleyball in the Chapin and Newberry, SC regions!
More About Michael Hansen
Michael Hansen has been involved in volleyball as a player or coach for over 30 years. At Miami University (Oxford, Ohio) he played outside hitter on the Men’s Volleyball Club Team, and then after graduating he played on various USA Volleyball club teams and doubles beach teams. He started coaching volleyball in 2013 as an assistant coach for Beaver Valley Premier Volleyball Club (Aliquippa, PA). In 2017 he joined the Pittsburgh Elite Volleyball Club (www.pittsburghelitevb.com) as a head volleyball coach. For three years at Pittsburgh Elite he coached under the direction of Jen Flynn Oldenburg, who is currently the Head Volleyball Coach at Ohio State University. His teams at Pittsburgh Elite had tremendous success, winning numerous tournaments. He has also coached at several schools and is currently the Head Varsity Volleyball Coach at Mid-Carolina High School. He has been named the Region Coach of the Year two of his four years coaching there. He has coached players that have gone on to play D1, D2, and D3 collegiate volleyball. He has completed various coaching training programs, including USA Volleyball Coaching Accreditation Program (CAP) training, NFHS Fundamentals of Coaching training, IMPACT training, and SafeSport training. He has attended the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) annual conventions for the past 10 years, where he has participated in clinics led by the best volleyball coaches in the world. Coach Mike is the proud father of two wonderful daughters and in his spare time enjoys reading about history.
