Katie (Carrier) Astrauskas is the sixth head volleyball coach in Ripon College history. In her 14 seasons as head coach, Astrauskas has led the Red Hawks to a 142-221 record, which includes a 56-62 record against Midwest Conference opponents. Astrauskas has coached two MWC Player of the Year winners (Anna Alvin and Abbi Williamson).
Astrauskas led Ripon to a berth in the MWC Tournament in 2017, which marked their third postseason appearance in five years. The 2016 season saw Astrauskas lead Ripon to the program's highest overall win total (17) since 2004. In 2015, Astrauskas led Ripon to its best conference record in school history (9-1) and the second seed in the MWC Tournament, which marked Ripon's second conference tournament berth in a three-year span. During the 2013 season, Astrauskas led Ripon to its first MWC Tournament berth in four years, finishing fourth in the MWC standings with a 7-3 conference record, while recording the program's highest win total (15) in nine years. She followed that up with a 16-win campaign in 2014.
Astrauskas came to Ripon after a two-year stint as an assistant coach at Southern Illinois University in Carbondale, Ill. where she helped lead the Salukis to a combined record of 35-24. Prior to that, she served as an assistant at SIU-Edwardsville where she assisted in leading the Cougars to a 27-7 record in her only season with the team.
No stranger to the MWC, Astrauskas earned her Bachelors of Business Administration from St. Norbert College in 2002. While at SNC, Astrauskas was a four-year starter for the Green Knights, earning First Team All-Conference honors each year. As a freshman in 1998, Astrauskas was named MWC Most Valuable Player. Her many honors also include being named to the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) Division-III All-Region Team as a senior and earning Team MVP honors on three occasions.
The West Bend, Wis. native finished her outstanding career ranking third in NCAA Division-III history for career kills (2,296), while also ranking fourth in kills per game (4.59), sixth in attempts per game (10.85) and 17th in career digs (2,015). Astrauskas left St. Norbert holding school records in every hitting category.
Astrauskas' first collegiate coaching experience came at her alma mater, where she served as an assistant during the 2004 season. In that role, Astrauskas was the primary hitting coach on the team. Her only previous head coaching experience came for the Green Bay Hang Time Volleyball Club during the 2003-04 season.
Astrauskas completed her Master's Degree in Education with an emphasis in Kinesiology from SIU-Carbondale in May of 2010.
In addition to her volleyball duties at Ripon, Astrauskas currently serves as Senior Woman Administrator, Women's Athletic Representative and Assistant Athletic Director, as well as Associate Professor in the Exercise Science Department. She is an active member of the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA).
Astrauskas currently resides in Sun Prairie, Wis. with her husband Dave and their two children, Zane (8), and Nora (5).
