Bio

Angela Franke comes to Dillard University after serving as a guidance counselor at Valor Preparatory Academy in Goodyear, Arizona. Prior to that position she served four years at Fairfield Area School District as an Athletic Director, Woodland Hills School District in PA, and Skyline Gila River in Arizona. For two years, from 2018-2020, she was the head volleyball coach at Phoenix College as well as the Student Athlete Scholastic Success Coordinator. During the 2017 season she served as the head volleyball coach at the University of the Southwest in Hobbs, New Mexico. Under Franke's leadership, the Mustangs finished with a winning season (16-14), and qualified for the RRAC conference tournament as a No. 3 seed with a conference record of 9-5. Prior to taking over at USW, Franke spent three years at Loyola University New Orleans as the head coach of the women's volleyball team where she led the Wolf Pack to a pair of Southern States Athletic Conference tournament appearances.

Her coaching experience spans both the NAIA and NCAA, as she served as the head coach of the women's volleyball team at Mississippi Valley State University prior to taking over at Loyola. MVSU boasted a third-place SWAC Eastern Division finish and a first round SWAC tournament upset of the top-seeded Prairie View A&M during her tenure. At the Division II level, Franke spent one season as the head coach at St. Andrew's University in North Carolina; her lasting impact aided in the restoration and revitalization of the Knights' previously dormant volleyball program.

Franke's playing career began at South Mountain Community College in Phoenix and continued at the Division I level at Jackson State. Franke is a proud HBCU alumna earning both a Bachelor of Arts and a Master of Science degree from Alcorn State. During her time at Alcorn, she began her intercollegiate coaching career from 2007-2008. In 2009, McCook Community College in Nebraska, brought Franke her first head coaching opportunity. 

Instilling the values of the NAIA Champions of Character program is something that Franke is excited to bring to her team. Her service-oriented leadership style will bring the Bleu Devils out in the public eye with fun new initiatives while maintaining some of the community events that Dillard fans have come to know and love over the years. One new outreach effort she plans to implement involves the Southeastern area Girl Scouts groups. "I try to find not-so-typical things to do, so that people are more interested in participating. The Girl Scouts game will bring outside groups on campus and we will host a free, hour-long volleyball clinic after our match.

Franke and her two children, daughter Alyx and son Alijah, are excited to join the Dillard family, "I am eager to join Dillard's volleyball program. There are a lot of positive things that have formed a great foundation to build on." Franke adds, "I love the entusiam I've already seen from the players and the excitement of what's possible."