Former College of Staten Island women’s volleyball student-athletes Jennifer Samuel and Victoria Wong will return for the Dolphins in 2017-18, only this time as respective coaches for the women’s and men’s units. Samuel is joining Head Coach Larry Ng as the team’s Assistant Coach on the women’s side, while Wong has been named Assistant Coach on the men’s side. Both coaches will also assist in a lesser capacity during their respective off seasons.
We are very excited to welcome Jen and Victoria to our staff,” said Ng on his new appointees. “The combination of their experience along with their energy and passion for the game will compliment my style in elevating the program.”
Samuel was a setter for the Dolphins for two seasons in 2011-12. She led the team both years in assists, with her 337 in 2012 standing as the fifth highest in single season history. She also tallied 53 service aces in 2011, the second highest on the team that year. Not new to coaching, Samuel was an assistant volleyball coach from 2012 till 2014 for Susan E. Wagner High School in Staten Island, then in August of 2015 moved on to become as assistant at nearby Notre Dame Academy, a position she held until joining the Dolphins. Alongside her duties at the high school level, Samuel has been the Head Coach at the Central Jersey Volleyball Academy in Flemington, New Jersey.
Hand-in-hand with her extensive volleyball experience, Samuel doubles as a Life Skill Coach at A Very Special Place, Inc. in Manhattan, where she works one-on-one with consumers to teach, prompt and train various life skills. She achieved her Bachelor of Science degree from CSI in 2014, majoring in Psychology.
Fresh off of an outstanding four year career, Wong will join the unit on the men’s side primarily. Wong enjoyed one of her finest seasons in 2016 for the Dolphins, posting a school-record 445 digs, capping her career-best 1,291 as a libero and defensive specialist. In her 94 career matches, Wong also accumulated 47 kills and 98 service aces.
“I am beyond excited and honored to be a part of the coaching staff for this year. I have been on this team for four years and it feels like home for me. For me to be able to come back to this team with a different role, it is an incredible feeling and I cannot wait to build and grow with the program,” said Wong. “I see the potential amongst both the Men’s and Women’s team and I’m very hopeful about the future. As an assistant coach, I want to make every athlete’s collegiate experience as enjoyable as possible and for them to feel a part of the Dolphin family.”
No stranger to working within the department, Wong has been a student aide and varsity event staffer since 2015. She was also a camp counselor in the Sports and Recreation Center as part of Staten Island Day Camp for four years from 2013-16. Most recently, Wong became a Head Teacher with Wise Kids Daycare in Brooklyn, where she is active in organizing and engaging youth activities while monitoring educational progress and performance. A multi-decorated athlete, Wong was a three-year Scholar-Athlete who ended her career as a first-team CUNYAC All-Star and was twice named to the CUNYAC All-Sportsmanship team. She also served as the CSI Student-Athlete Advisory Committee President from 2015-17.
The CSI women’s volleyball season will start on September 1, when they travel to FDU-Florham for a non-conference test.
