Coley Pawlikowski Position: Assistant Coach Experience: First Year Alma Mater: Northern Illinois, 2004

Former Huskie standout Coley Pawlikowski returned to her alma mater in 2009, bringing well-rounded experience to the program. From 1999-2001, Coley (Johnsen) was a three-year starter as a defensive specialist. In 2001, she helped NIU win the Mid-American Conference tournament and earn a spot in the NCAA tournament, which is the last time that the Huskies achieved both feats.

Prior to her return to NIU, Pawlikowski served as head coach of the North Park Vikings from 2006-08 and left her mark on the program by taking a 5-28 team in 2006 to a 19-12 record in 2008. During that span, she led the Vikings to 37 wins. Additionally, she led North Park to a pair of tournament championships and produced the best outside hitter in the last 12 years of the program in Yaifeh Chafeh.

As a reward for her accomplishments in 2008, Pawlikowski was one of just four Division III women's volleyball coaches to earn the Thirty Under 30 Award from the American Volleyball Coaches Association for being an up-and-coming coach under the age of 30.

Before her time with North Park, the Batavia, Ill. native was a part of the Geneva High School coaching staff from 2003-2005. She assisted with every level of the program from freshman to varsity under her father, K.C. Johnsen, who is the women's head coach.

In 2004, Pawlikowski was selected as one of 12 Great Lakes Region High Performance Coaches, who evaluate and train top junior club players in the region with techniques used by the U.S. National Team.

Since 1999, Pawlikowski has worked with the Kane County Juniors Volleyball Club team, serving as both an administrator and coach for the men's and women's programs. For the past five years, she has been the head coach of the 18s division, who went 18-1 in 2008. The 18s have won the Asics Championships in each of the last three years and her 18-Gold team has been a regular top 20 team in the Great Lakes Region, finishing 13th in the national division of the 2008 USAV Junior National Championships in Dallas.

Pawlikowski earned her bachelor's degree in communication from Northern Illinois University in 2004.

She is married to Dan Pawlikowski, who is also a member of the NIU volleyball coaching staff.