Kerry Messersmith Volleyball Camps at UAB

Casey Dent
Assistant Coach

A four-year letterwinner for the UAB volleyball program, Casey Dent begins her first season as an assistant coach with the Blazers in 2009.

Dent completed her playing career a season ago with the second-highest career hitting percentage (.333) in school history. She also ranks ninth in school annals with 1,284 career kills.

"It's always nice to have someone who has played for you as an assistant coach because they understand what you're looking for," UAB head coach Kerry Messersmith said. "Casey has a huge amount of loyalty to UAB because that's where she earned her degree. The only thing she lacks is experience, but I think Casey's hard work and strong organizational skills will more than make up for that."

As a senior in 2008, Dent posted a career-best .365 hitting percentage on her way to first-team All-Conference USA honors and honorable mention AVCA All-Midwest Region recognition. She also was also named second-team all-conference as a junior in 2007.

Dent helped the Blazers to 92 wins in her four seasons and was a part of UAB's first Conference USA tournament title and NCAA tournament appearance in 2006. In 2008, she played a key role on another postseason team as the Blazers won their first ever NCAA tournament match.

A three-time Conference USA All-Academic Team selection, Dent also achieved a high level of success away from the court. She received ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District honors three times in her career, twice being named to the third team and once to the first team.

Hal Messersmith
Director of Volleyball Operations

Hal Messersmith enters his third season at UAB in 2008 and his second in the director of volleyball operations role. He moved into that position in 2007 after serving in 2006 as a volunteer assistant coach for the Blazers.

Messersmith has worked with his wife, UAB head coach Kerry Messersmith, for the past seven seasons. He spent five years with her on the staff at Georgia Southern prior to arriving at UAB in 2006.

As the Blazers' director of volleyball operations, Messersmith performs various administrative roles in addition to overseeing the academic and financial aid aspects of the program. He organizes team travel and facilities scheduling while also coordinating all video operations for the Blazers.

In addition to his seven seasons in collegiate volleyball, Messersmith has nearly 20 years of head coaching experience in college football, baseball and basketball. From the mid-1980s through 2001, he posted 17 winning seasons in those sports while graduating 95 percent of his student-athletes.

Messersmith's coaching experience includes stops at Chadron State (Neb.) College, Allen County Community College, Fort Scott Community College and Arizona Western College.

Ashley Adams
Volunteer Assistant Coach

Ashley Adams, a former standout volleyball player at Samford and Middle Tennessee, begins her first season on the UAB volleyball coaching staff as a volunteer assistant coach in 2009.

Adams wrapped up her four-year college career last fall at Samford by earning Southern Conference Player of the Year honors. An outside hitter, she finished her senior season with a .349 attack percentage and ranked 21st nationally with 4.21 kills per set on her way to AVCA All-Region recognition for the third time in her career.

She previously earned All-Region honors and honorable mention All-America honors twice at Middle Tennessee, where she starred for the Blue Raiders for three years from 2005-07. The Sun Belt Conference Offensive Player of the Year as a junior, Adams helped Middle Tennessee to back-to-back NCAA tournament appearances, including a run to the Sweet 16 in 2007.

"Ashley was a great college player and will be a tremendous asset for our program," UAB head coach Kerry Messersmith said. "She is very intelligent and highly experienced, and our players will learn a lot about the game from her."

At Middle Tennessee, Adams was named to the All-Sun Belt First Team twice and was also selected as the Sun Belt Tournament MVP twice as she guided the Blue Raiders to the league tournament championship in both 2006 and 2007.

Adams ranks second all-time at Middle Tennessee with 1,455 kills and fourth all-time at the school with a .335 attack percentage. She finished her career with 1,880 total kills after posting 425 more as a senior at Samford.

The Columbus, Ohio, native completed her eligibility with the Bulldogs after graduating from Middle Tennessee is just three years. She enrolled at Samford's Cumberland School of Law, where she is currently studying.

Additional Staff

The camps will be staffed by well qualified college coaches, club/high school coaches, and collegiate players.