Completed Event: Women's Volleyball versus #20 Colorado on November 6, 2025 , Win , 3, to, 1
Final
Women's Volleyball
3
vs #20 Colorado
1
Kansas Volleyball Welcomes Ainise Havili to Coaching Staff
3/1/2026 11:33:00 AM | Women's Volleyball
LAWRENCE, Kan. – Kansas volleyball has announced the addition of former Jayhawk All-American Ainise Havili as assistant coach.
One of the most decorated players in program history, Havili returns to Lawrence after competing professionally and gaining collegiate coaching experience. She most recently served as an assistant coach at Butler, joining head coach Kyle Shondell's staff in June 2025.
"This is an incredible opportunity to bring a Jayhawk great back home," Ulmer said. "Ainise made a lasting impact on this program as a student athlete and alumna, and now she will do the same as a coach. Our team will benefit from her example and experience. She is an extremely proud Jayhawk who knows firsthand how special Lawrence is."
Havili starred at Kansas from 2014 to 2017, earning AVCA All America honors four times and Big 12 Setter of the Year recognition twice. She remains the program's all-time leader with 5,255 career assists and helped guide the Jayhawks to four consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances, including a run to the NCAA Final Four in 2015 and a Big 12 Conference championship in 2016. Her impact on the program was later recognized with her jersey retirement in 2022 and induction into the Kansas Athletics Hall of Fame in 2023.
A four-year starting setter, Havili finished her career ranked second in program history in assists per set and recorded 63 career double-doubles, the most in school history. She was a three-time All-Big 12 selection and earned AVCA All-Midwest Region honors three times. In 2015, she was named the NCAA Championship San Diego Regional Most Valuable Player while leading Kansas to its first national semifinal appearance.
Following her collegiate indoor career, Havili competed in beach volleyball at Arizona in 2019 before playing professionally overseas in Sweden, Turkey and Germany. She returned to the United States to compete in the Pro Volleyball Federation, earning a spot in the league's inaugural draft in 2024. Havili played for the Vegas Thrill before signing with the Indy Ignite the following season.
"I am so excited to be back at Kansas," Havili said. "I am grateful for the opportunity to help provide KU volleyball student athletes with the same incredible experience I was given. I look forward to learning from Matt and working with my former teammates. I have always felt fortunate to be a Jayhawk, and I cannot wait to come home."
Havili has also built coaching experience at multiple Division I programs. She served as a volunteer coach at Purdue in 2023 and worked as an assistant coach at Miami, Florida and Abilene Christian in 2024.
A native of Fort Worth, Texas, Havili graduated from Kansas in 2018 with a bachelor's degree in sport management and later earned a master's degree in marketing from Arizona in 2019.
Her return to Lawrence brings championship experience, elite-level playing success, and a deep connection to the Jayhawk program.
One of the most decorated players in program history, Havili returns to Lawrence after competing professionally and gaining collegiate coaching experience. She most recently served as an assistant coach at Butler, joining head coach Kyle Shondell's staff in June 2025.
"This is an incredible opportunity to bring a Jayhawk great back home," Ulmer said. "Ainise made a lasting impact on this program as a student athlete and alumna, and now she will do the same as a coach. Our team will benefit from her example and experience. She is an extremely proud Jayhawk who knows firsthand how special Lawrence is."
Havili starred at Kansas from 2014 to 2017, earning AVCA All America honors four times and Big 12 Setter of the Year recognition twice. She remains the program's all-time leader with 5,255 career assists and helped guide the Jayhawks to four consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances, including a run to the NCAA Final Four in 2015 and a Big 12 Conference championship in 2016. Her impact on the program was later recognized with her jersey retirement in 2022 and induction into the Kansas Athletics Hall of Fame in 2023.
A four-year starting setter, Havili finished her career ranked second in program history in assists per set and recorded 63 career double-doubles, the most in school history. She was a three-time All-Big 12 selection and earned AVCA All-Midwest Region honors three times. In 2015, she was named the NCAA Championship San Diego Regional Most Valuable Player while leading Kansas to its first national semifinal appearance.
Following her collegiate indoor career, Havili competed in beach volleyball at Arizona in 2019 before playing professionally overseas in Sweden, Turkey and Germany. She returned to the United States to compete in the Pro Volleyball Federation, earning a spot in the league's inaugural draft in 2024. Havili played for the Vegas Thrill before signing with the Indy Ignite the following season.
"I am so excited to be back at Kansas," Havili said. "I am grateful for the opportunity to help provide KU volleyball student athletes with the same incredible experience I was given. I look forward to learning from Matt and working with my former teammates. I have always felt fortunate to be a Jayhawk, and I cannot wait to come home."
Havili has also built coaching experience at multiple Division I programs. She served as a volunteer coach at Purdue in 2023 and worked as an assistant coach at Miami, Florida and Abilene Christian in 2024.
A native of Fort Worth, Texas, Havili graduated from Kansas in 2018 with a bachelor's degree in sport management and later earned a master's degree in marketing from Arizona in 2019.
Her return to Lawrence brings championship experience, elite-level playing success, and a deep connection to the Jayhawk program.
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