CHATTANOOGA --- Chattanooga indoor volleyball announced the addition of Rachel McClellan to the team's coaching staff, director of volleyball Julie Torbett revealed on Wednesday.

McClellan will make her return to the collegiate volleyball sphere as she has most recently been involved with owning and operating FIT4MOM Chattanooga. Prior to settling down in Chattanooga, McClellan put together an illustrious college career at the University of Illinois before going on to play volleyball professionally.

"I am proud to welcome Rachel to UT Chattanooga Volleyball," Coach Torbett said. "She was a powerhouse both collegiately and professionally, where she dominated the courts of Illinois to the professional leagues overseas.  Rachel brings a wealth of experience and inspiration to our team at UT Chattanooga. We are thrilled to have her in our gym, shaping not just skills, but character, and fueling the fires of ambition in all our players who aspire to play professionally and be the best they can be while competing at UTC."

McClellan competed all across the front line in her playing career. She starred at Illinois from 2002-05 as a two-time All-Big Ten selection completing her career with 1,662 kills while breaking Illini records for attacks in a match (99), season (1,786) and career (4,462).

Her 5.79 kills per set in 2005 led the Big Ten and ranked fifth nationally. She tallied a career-high 39 kills in 99 swings as a junior on Nov. 16, 2005. McClellan was a five-time Fighting Illini Scholar-Athlete of the Week Award winner.

That led to a globe-trotting professional experience. She competed professionally in Puerto Rico, Spain, South Korea, Czech Republic, Germany and Italy. She won a league title in Puerto Rico and was the season points leader in South Korea. During that time, McClellan also had multiple stints with the U.S. National Team at the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colo.

The former Rachel VanMeter is the owner of FIT4MOM Chattanooga, a local small business in the area where she resides with her husband Anthony McClellan Jr. She is also the mother to four children: Adelynn, Avery Kate, Anderson and Allie Grace. She played for Soddy Daisy High School in suburban Chattanooga her first two years of high school before moving to South Carolina.

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