‘This has always been Plan A’: Emily Kohan eager to lead CSU volleyball into new era
Emily Kohan devised the perfect Christmas surprise.
Family opened presents and found themselves holding new Colorado State gear.
Her grandpa played football at the school and her dad and brother both attended CSU, so Rams gear isn't too strange a present.
But Kohan (formerly Hiza) was an assistant volleyball coach at Oregon State at the time, so why was she gifting them CSU gear?
She’d been in a whirlwind job hunt but didn’t tell her family until she was already hired as an assistant on the CSU volleyball team.
“I didn’t tell my family it was going on, so that was kind of cool to be able to present to them Christmas presents that was CSU gear,” said Kohan, a native of Swink. “They were very confused. They were like ‘why are you giving us Rams gear?’ I was like, ‘We’re moving home to Colorado!’ ”
Kohan is now entering her eighth season as a Ram, but this one is much different.
She’s now in the lead role, taking over for legendary coach Tom Hilbert. He retired after the 2022 season after 26 seasons in charge at CSU.
“I’m thrilled. This has always been Plan A for me,” Kohan said.
It’s one thing to have a dream job to aim for, but Kohan manifested it.
She wanted to make Colorado a long-term home with her husband, Patrick (the couple now have kids ages 2½ years and 3 months).
After the 2015 season ended, she learned there were jobs open across multiple programs in Colorado, but she zeroed in on CSU. “I think if I ever would have taken a job at CU I would have been disowned,” she joked.
Kohan took her shot with Hilbert.
“I kind of hunted him down at the Final 4 convention,” she said. “I said, ‘Hey, I know you have an opening. Meet with me. I want this job and I’m going to show you why I would be a good candidate.’ ”
A few days later, she was in Fort Collins for an interview where she was offered the job, just about a week after learning it was open.
Then, as Hilbert inched toward retirement, she made sure he knew she wanted to be a candidate to replace him. Kohan joined Hilbert in meetings with Mountain West coaches and top CSU boosters to prepare for this moment.
Her career started with an emphatic bang as the Rams toppled No. 10 Kentucky Friday in front of nearly 8,000 fans.
She was clearly the popular choice for the current roster. The team erupted in big cheers when she was announced as the next coach.
She recruited this team and has coached them for years. Now, they’re taking these first steps in a new era together.
Those steps are expected to be winning ones. That's the program standard. CSU is traditionally in the top 15 in the nation in attendance and Kohan vows to continue the huge effort in connecting to the community that Hilbert mastered.
Hilbert is still around. The two talk frequently, and Hilbert runs the NIL collective (via the Green and Gold Guard) for the volleyball program.
Kohan says he told her this week to “be true to yourself and what you’re good at and don’t try and be me.”
CSU has won a Mountain West title in 18 of 25 years the league has existed. But the program has also hit struggles, not making the NCAA Tournament since 2019.
Still, this is no rebuild. Winning Mountain West titles and making a push in the NCAA Tournament is an expectation.
“What a great opportunity. I think a lot of first-time head coaches’ opportunities are at rebuild programs. I feel very lucky that mine is not a rebuild program, but it does come with some expectation,” Kohan said. “Again, that’s what I’ve recruited these players to come into, so why would I expect anything different out of myself?”
This was always Kohan’s plan.
Now it’s happening.
Follow sports reporter Kevin Lytle on Twitter and Instagram @Kevin_Lytle.
This article originally appeared on Fort Collins Coloradoan: Emily Kohan eager for task of leading CSU volleyball into new era
