Cal Poly Humboldt athletics has announced that Angela Spoja has been hired as the new head coach for the Lumberjacks volleyball program.

Spoja, who has over 25 years of coaching experience at the community college, NAIA and NCAA Division-I levels, comes to Humboldt from Eastern Washington University, where she was the Interim head coach during the Spring 2022 season.

“We are excited to have Angela join the Lumberjack family as our next head volleyball coach at Cal Poly Humboldt,” Executive Director for Athletics and Campus Recreation Cooper Jones said.  “Angela brings a wealth of experience to our university, and is the right person at the right time to lead our program. We also look forward to welcoming Jaron, Sydney, Sophia and Jaron Jr. to our community.”

Spoja was the interim head coach at Eastern Washington from December 2021 to April 2022. Prior to that, she was the assistant coach and recruiting coordinator at the university from 2020 to 2021.  

“I am honored and grateful to be the next head volleyball coach of Cal Poly Humboldt,” said Spoja, who added “I believe that Humboldt can become a volleyball program that will compete at the highest level in the CCAA, and in Division II as a whole. 

“I am excited to coach this team as they are hungry for knowledge and want to be pushed to be the best, while building lifelong cultures and traditions in Humboldt volleyball.”

Prior to her time at Eastern Washington, Spoja was the head volleyball coach at Evergreen State College from 2013 to 2019.  

She is the all-time winningest coach for Evergreen State and guided the Geoducks to 68 wins after they went 0-55 the previous two seasons.

Spoja

From 2005 to 2012, Spoja was the head volleyball coach for Tacoma Community College.

Spoja earned her Bachelor of Arts Degree in Criminal Justice from Eastern Washington in 1997. She earned a volleyball scholarship to Eastern Washington from 1995 to 1997.  

The Lakewood, Washington, native has been married for 25 years to Jaron Spoja, and they have three children; daughter Sydney, son Jaron Jr, and daughter Sophia.

She takes the Lumberjacks program from longtime head coach Kelly Wood, who stepped down in April after eight years in charge of team.