NORTH NEWTON, Kan. — Bethel College announced today that Head Volleyball Coach Adriana Leake has resigned after a remarkable five-year tenure that revitalized the program and carried it back to national prominence.
Leake arrived in 2021 following a 9–21 season and immediately began rebuilding the culture, competitiveness, and belief within a tradition-rich program. Under her leadership, the Threshers posted a 97–57 record, winning 63% of their matches and earning the program's first NAIA National Tournament berth since 2008 this past fall.
Known for her relentless competitive fire, Leake set a tone of toughness, accountability, and ambition from the moment she stepped on campus. She pushed her teams to reach their potential and demanded excellence in preparation and execution. Yet that drive to win was always paired with an unwavering commitment to her players as people. She was widely regarded as a coach who would "do whatever it took" to help her athletes succeed—but also as someone who invested deeply in their growth as students, leaders, and young women.
Athletic Director Tim Swartzendruber praised both the program's turnaround and Leake's leadership style.
"Coach Leake did a tremendous job rebuilding this tradition-rich program. I am thankful for not only the success she brought to our volleyball program, but the great role model she was for our young women. Being a mother of three young boys, she had to balance being a mom, wife, and coach. I admire her ability to do that the best she could. We will miss Coach Leake and I wish her nothing but the best."
Leake reflected on her time at Bethel with gratitude, emphasizing the people who supported the program's rapid rise.
"Anytime a team finds success as quickly as we did, it's a sign of great mentors, strong support, and a lot of blessings," she said. "I'm especially grateful for the coaches in that first year who invested in me—patiently answering my hundreds of questions and guiding me through those early steps."
She credited both the past and present leadership within the athletic department.
"Former Athletic Director Tony Hoops took a chance on me and laid the foundation for everything that followed. And our current AD, Tim Swartzendruber, has been an incredible blessing. His unwavering support for me and for the volleyball program has meant more than I can say."
Leake also thanked the players, alumni, and wider Bethel community who embraced her vision.
"I'm thankful for every player who believed in the vision of what we could build, and for the amazing support from the entire Bethel community—President Gering, faculty, staff, former coaches and players, alumni and local supporters.
It was a truly special experience, and I'm deeply grateful for my time at Bethel."
As a mother of three and a mentor to dozens more through the program, Leake balanced competitive excellence with empathy, modeling what it means to lead with both intensity and heart.
After guiding the Threshers back to national contention and helping restore the program's competitive identity, Leake shared that the next chapter of her life will focus on family.
"I'm excited for this next chapter, getting to raise my children and spending more time with my husband."
A national search for Bethel's next head volleyball coach will begin immediately.
