Mount Marty University

Sophia Paes
Head Volleyball Coach – 2nd Season
Mount Marty University

Now in her second season as Head Volleyball Coach at Mount Marty University, Sophia Paes continues to bring energy, expertise, and a global perspective to the Lancer volleyball program. A native of Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil, Paes has been an integral part of the program since joining the coaching staff in 2021, and she was elevated to the head coaching role in 2023.

As a head coach, Sophia Paes has already elevated the program both academically and competitively. Under her leadership, the team has earned Scholar Team recognition in both seasons, with a total of 23 student-athletes receiving Scholar-Athlete honors. On the court, she has coached eight players to All-Conference recognition, including two Second Team selections. Notably, she mentored the first player in school history to be named GPAC Setter of the Week—who also became the first volleyball player to earn the honor three times in a single season—marking a historic milestone for the program.

Coach Paes played collegiate volleyball at the University of Tennessee Southern, where she was a four-year standout. Her leadership and high-level play earned her recognition on and off the court. She earned a bachelor's degree in Human Performance and Exercise Science in 2018, and completed her master’s degree in Education with a focus in Coaching and Leadership in 2023.

Her coaching journey spans more than a decade, including key roles at top-tier club programs such as Alliance in Nashville, TN, and RCVC in Huntsville, AL. A significant influence in her career was Olympian and coaching mentor Rose Powell, a 1984 Olympic silver medalist with Team USA and Paes’s college coach.

As head coach, Paes is focused on cultivating a competitive, disciplined, and unified team culture. She emphasizes fundamentals, mental resilience, and player development, while preparing her athletes to succeed both on the court and in life.