Ibraheem Suberu
Head Volleyball Coach
2011 marks Pittsburg State’s 13th season with Ibraheem Suberu at the helm of its volleyball program. In his previous 12 seasons, Suberu has rebuilt the team from a two-win season in his first year to six trips to the NCAA-II National Tournament and a position as one of the most respected programs in the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association and the NCAA South Central Region.
The 2009 season saw a younger squad, led by two talented seniors, amass a 25-11 record and make a trip to its third conseuctive NCAA tournament. Though the team struggled at times in the midst of a tough schedule that saw them face eight top 10 teams throughout the season, they also picked up some big wins, including an early season win at No. 8 Central Missouri and two over Emporia State. One of those wins was an impressive 3-1 fight over the No. 4 Lady Hornets to advance to the semifinals if the NCAA-II South Central Regional. For the third consecutive season, the Gorillas had a new All-American. In addition to MIAA Player of the Year and first-team All-American Pamela Cartagena was joined by Corrinne Stringer, who earned honorable mention All-America accolades. In addition to Cartagena and Stringer, four other Gorillas were named to All-MIAA teams.
His 10th season at Pitt State was one of the best for Suberu’s squad. Led by a dynamic team of veteran players, including four seniors and two juniors, the Gorillas posted a 28-8 record and made a fifth trip to the NCAA-II Tournament. Sammie WIlliams and Pamela Cartagena became the first two-time All-Americans in program history, as t hey were each named to the AVCA All-America third team. Linda Igbinigie earned first-team All-America honors, becoming the first player in program history to earn first-team recognition. In addition, five Gorillas earned spots on All-MIAA teams.
In 2007, the Gorillas posted a 28-9 record, their best under Suberu, on their way to their fourth NCAA Division II National Tournament invitation in five years. Eight of Pitt State’s nine losses were to nationally ranked teams. In addition, four Gorilla players earned All-MIAA honors, while Sammie Williams and Pamela Cartagena were named the fifth and sixth All-Americans in school history.
Since arriving at Pitt State, Suberu has consistently trained his team to compete year-in and year-out among the best squads in NCAA Division II. In addition to detailed and highly competitive on-the-court training, Suberu schedules some of the nation’s toughest teams in order to thoroughly prepare the Gorillas for the post season.
Beyond the team’s successes, individual student-athletes have garnered many awards for their play as well. Prior to Suberu’s arrival, Pitt State had not had a player named to an AVCA All-America team. In 2003, not only did the Gorillas have their first All-American, they had three. Outside hitter Dina Wathan was named a third-team All-American, while setter Chrissy Elder and middle blocker Gloria Ilariogun were named Honorable Mention All-Americans. In 2004, Pitt State’s first MIAA Most Valuable Player, Lizzy Anyigor-Abitogun became the fourth All-American in school history as she was named to the third team by both the AVCA and Daktronics. 2007 brought two more All-Americans under Suberu’s tutelage as Pamela Cartagena earned second team honors and Sammie Williams was named to the honorable mention team. Cartagena and Williams earned the distinction of being the first returning All-Americans in school history. In 2008, Cartagena and Williams earned All-America honors again, earning them the distinction of being the first t wo-time All-Americans in school history. Linda Igbinigie was named a first-team All-American also in 2008, making her the first in the programs history. In 2009, Cartagena capped her career with both AVCA and Daktronics All-America recognition, while Corrinne Stringer became PSU’s seventh All-American.
With Suberu’s guidance, the Gorilla’s have earned many conference honors as well, with 25 players earning 48 All-MIAA honors. In addition to Anyigor-Abitogun being named the 2004 Most Valuable Player, Williams was named the 2005 Freshman of the Year and Cartagena earned Player of the Year honors in 2009. In the 20 years before Suberu, the Gorillas had only 27 players earn 32 all-conference honors in either the MIAA or the All-Central States Intercollegiate Conference.
Suberu can now also boast two of his Gorilla players currently playing in the professional ranks. 2009 senior Pamela Cartagena plays for Corazol Pinkin, who won the Puerto Rico Professional Volleyball Federation’s title this spring. 2008 senior Sammie Williams signed a contract in June 2010 to play for Lindsborg Volley in the Swedish Professional Volleyball League.
In addition to a 213-124 record in the last 10 years, Suberu’s teams have excelled academically as well. The program has earned the AVCA/Molten Academic Award five out of the last seven years with a program-best 3.56 cumulative team GPA in 2005. Since 1999, the Gorillas have had two CoSIDA Academic All-Americans, four student-athletes earn eight CoSIDA Academic All-District honors, and numberous players have earned MIAA Academic Awards, including six named to the Academic Honor Roll and Cassie Wilson being named a MIAA Scholar-Athlete for maintaining over a 3.50 GPA.
After two tough seasons rebuilding the program, Suberu’s recruiting and training efforts enabled the Gorillas to climb into the upper echelon of the MIAA and the South Central Region. In 2001, Suberu’s third season, PSU posted its first winning season in seven years. Just two season’s later, in 2003, the team posted a 26-8 record – the best record in school history to that point – and qualified for the NCAA Division II Tournament for the first time in school history. The 2003 Gorilla’s won a school record 16 straight matches and climbed as high as No. 14 in the national poll.
2004 brought more of the same as Suberu led the team to a 23-13 record. The team made its first return trip to the NCAA Division II National Tournament and won the first NCAA Tournament game in school history, a thrilling 3-2 victory over North Alabama, the defending national champions.
Following a losing season in 2005, the 2006 and 2007 squads easily regrouped to make a return to the national tournament. In 2007, the Gorillas made a return to the AVCA poll and were ranked in every poll except the preseason poll, receiving a season-high ranking of 11th on October 8 and finishing the season at No. 18.
Not only do the Gorillas enjoy success on the court and in the classroom, they are also active in the Pittsburg community. Suberu directs programs geared at increasing community support for the Gorilla Volleyball program, while also making his team visible in the community beyond game days. In 2007 the Gorilla’s ranked fourth in the nation for attendance, averaging 659 fans per game.
A proven program builder with a knack for the detailed skills of the game, Suberu’s overall coaching record does not accurately reflect his success. When he arrived in Pittsburg in 1999, Suberu inherited a program with a .368 all-time winning percentage. After overcoming two rebuilding years that included a total of only nine wins, his career record at Pitt State now stands at 222-186 (.544), moving above .500 after a stellar 2007 season. On Sept. 19, 2006, Suberu collected his 113th win at PSU to pass Joan Warrington on the school’s all-time coaching victories list. He collected his 150th win on Oct. 16, 2007 in a three-set match against Rockhurst. Suberu’s 200th win was a 3-0 victory over Southwest Baptist on Oct. 17, 2009 in PIttsburg.
Prior to taking the helm of the Pittsburg State program in June 1999, Suberu spent two seasons at the University of St. Mary in Leavenworth, Kan., where he directed the spires to their first-ever winning season in 1998. Part of the year’s winning season included leading the Spires to a pair of victories over the Gorillas, defeating Pitt State, 3-0, in the finals of the Baker University Invitational and a 3-2 decision in a match played at Leavenworth.
Suberu maintains an extensive coaching and volleyball athletic training resume, including USA Volleyball Junior club and camp experiences and the regional and national level. Since 1993, his Advanced Volleyball Skills Training Camp has trained many young players to improve their ball control skills through modeling of effective movement, form and techniques.
From 1997-99 his USA Volleyball club teams, Team KC Mizuno 17 & under, won back-to-back regional titles and represented the Heart of America Region at the USA Volleyball national tournament.
In the local area, he has been instrumental in the development of the USA Volleyball juniors training club program. He has served as the head volleyball skills trainer for the Pittsburg YMCA/Star Aquila Volleyball Juniors – a local USA Volleyball juniors club formed to improve the sport experience for local area youth.
As a player, Suberu played in his native Nigeria in numerous national championships at the youth, junior, collegiate and club levels. He made the move overseas and competed in the National Volleyball League in England for Team Mizuno Malory from 1988-90. He was selected as the National Volleyball League Royal Bank of Scotland National Division II Player of the Year during the 1989-90 season.
Suberu earned a diploma in physical education and health from the University of Lagos in Nigeria and a diploma in journalism from the London School of Journalism in England. He added a bachelor’s of arts in communications and interpersonal relations from Park University in Parkville, Mo. and a master’s of arts in management from Webster University in St. Louis, Mo.
Suberu has served on various committees, including the NCAA Division II Volleyball South Central Advisory Committee from 2002-04. He has served four years as the MIAA Volleyball Coaches Representative to the AVCA Division II Head Coaches Committee. He is currently on the CSTV/AVCA Division II Coaches Top 25 Poll Committee. He is an active member of the AVCA.