Dena O'Connell enters her 16th season as the Plattsburgh State head volleyball coach in 2013. She took over the helm after three seasons as an assistant coach with the Cardinals. In addition to her 18-year association with Plattsburgh, O'Connell has coached at various volleyball camps and holds active memberships with the National Amateur Volleyball Association (NAVA) and American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA).
In 2002, O'Connell coached the Cardinals to their first-ever Eastern College Athletic Conference tournament berth. She has also led the program to five State University of New York Athletic Conference tournament appearances in 1998 and 2000-03. In her first season, the 1998 squad capped off its best season in over a decade at 26-11 for a .703 winning percentage with appearances in two postseason tournaments, qualifying for both the SUNYAC and New York State Women's Collegiate Athletic Association playoffs. The SUNYAC Tournament appearance was the team's first since 1984 and the NYSWCAA Tournament qualification was the first in the program's history.
In addition to a 217-342 school record, O'Connell has coached 16 all-conference players, including 2002 SUNYAC East Division First Year Player of the Year Jennifer Maziarz, and 53 of the program's 72 academic all-conference selections.
O'Connell also coached in the prep ranks, leading Beekmantown High School during the 2002 and 2003 seasons and a New York sectional championship for the winter term.
O'Connell is a 1991 graduate of Northwest Junior College in Wyoming, attended Morningside College in Iowa and 10 years later received a bachelor's degree in criminal justice from Plattsburgh State. A four-year collegiate starter, O'Connell helped Northwest to the 1990 NJCAA national semifinals and conference and regional championships while compiling a 50-8 record that season. O'Connell received a master's degree in administration from Plattsburgh State in 2001.
A native of Wichita, Kan., O'Connell, and her husband, Eric, have a daughter, Karyssa.
Dena O'Connell Coaching File
| Season | School | Record | Conf./Place | Note |
| 1998 | Plattsburgh State | 26-14 | 5-5 | SUNYAC, NYSWCAA Tournaments |
| 1999 | Plattsburgh State | 17-23 | 2-8 | 3 Academic All-SUNYAC players |
| 2000 | Plattsburgh State | 19-22 | 6-4 | SUNYAC Tournament |
| 2001 | Plattsburgh State | 17-25 | 5-5 | SUNYAC Tournament |
| 2002 | Plattsburgh State | 21-21 | 7-3 | SUNYAC, ECAC-N Tournaments |
| 2003 | Plattsburgh State | 15-16 | 5-5 | SUNYAC Tournament |
| 2004 | Plattsburgh State | 9-28 | 2-8 | 4Â Academic All-SUNYAC players |
| 2005 | Plattsburgh State | 13-22 | 3-7 | 3 Academic All-SUNYAC players |
| 2006 | Plattsburgh State | 17-22 | 2-8 | 6Â Academic All-SUNYAC players |
| 2007 | Plattsburgh State | 15-26 | 2-8 | 3 Academic All-SUNYAC players |
| 2008 | Plattsburgh State | 7-28 | 0-8 | 7Â Acad. All-SUNYAC (team-best) |
| 2009 | Plattsburgh State | 10-25 | 0-8 | 6Â Academic All-SUNYAC players |
| 2010Â Â Â Â | Plattsburgh State | 6-29 | 1-7 | 4 Academic All-SUNYAC players |
| 2011 | Plattsburgh State | 12-21 | 0-8 | 1 All-SUNYAC Player |
| 2012 Â Â | Plattsburgh State | 13-20 | 1-7 | 1 All-SUNYAC Player |
| 2013 | Plattsburgh State | 17-15 | 6-3/4th | Three All-SUNYAC Players, SUNYAC Player of the Year, SUNYAC Tournament Semifinalists |
| 16 yrs. | Career Totals | 234-357 | 47-102 | 6 Postseason Appearances |
