The volleyball offseason is ramping up, and WSU is filling out the program from top to bottom. A new assistant has joined the staff for the 2024 season for the second time in as many days. 

Cassie Thompson-Krieger will join the staff starting with the upcoming season after spending three seasons as an assistant at Whitman College. Krieger first joined the team in 2021 as a volunteer assistant before joining the full-time staff for the 2022 season.

“I am excited to support [Head Coach] Korey (Schroeder)’s vision for the program while continuing to build a tradition of excellence,” Krieger said.

In the three seasons with Krieger on the staff in any capacity, Whitman went 23-49, their best record being their 10-14 finish in 2022. 

Born in Pullman, Krieger completed her master’s in sports management from WSU in 2020, serving as a coach for Club ZZU volleyball and being the head coach at Lewiston High School while completing her degree.

“I am thrilled to be joining the coaching staff at my alma mater,” Krieger said. “The culture of Cougar Athletics is so supportive and dynamic. WSU truly is a special place.”

Krieger played Division III volleyball at La Verne, earning First-Team All-Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference honors as a middle blocker and playing on the team from 2013–16. 

In 320 sets over 104 matches in her four seasons, Krieger had 525 kills at 1.64 kills per set while hitting .251% while adding 238 total blocks at 0.70 blocks per set defensively. Bringing her high-level playing experience alongside her coaching resume, she will aid in the day-to-day operations of the team. 

“Cassie already has a lot of experience in her young coaching career, and I’m excited to see her continue to develop at Washington State,” Schroeder said.

While at Whitman, Krieger’s role included coordinating team travel, video analysis, recruiting efforts, and middle blocker development, according to WSU Athletics. 

“I’m thrilled to have Cassie join our staff and contribute to the WSU program. She is both trustworthy and reliable and is a great fit for our program’s culture,” Schroeder said.