By Bill Sheehan

Nicky Cannon isn't afraid of a challenge.

Cannon, the new Cal State Fullerton women's volleyball coach, inherited a program that was 0-18 last season in the Big West and hasn't had a winning season in 15 years. But the California native is confident she has a formula will turn things around.

"My guiding light is fostering winning expectations, not just in the win-loss column but in winning in everything student-athletes do. How you do anything is how you do everything. If you are great in the classroom, show up for practice on time and come in well-prepared, then you are going to be great on the court," said Cannon, who was UC Riverside's head coach the past three years.

"I recruit women who I know will add to the culture of the program, strengthen our academics and raise the level of competitiveness in our gym. That's how I recruit. I know they are going to leave the program better than how they found it, and the program will be better than how I found it."
 

Cannon hopes to get across to her players that failure is OK and that overcoming failure is a sign of growth.  

"When I became a first-time head coach at Riverside, every failure felt like a scarlet letter right across my forehead. Looking back, I'm so much better now because of it. I'll sit in a chair, talk with recruits and speak with conviction about how much I have grown and learned being a head coach," said Cannon, who served as a Titans assistant coach from 2019-21.  

"I know what I want and where this program is going to go. I've learned to trust myself; it changed the game for me."

Under Cannon's leadership in 2023, Riverside recorded the program's most Big West victories (five) and highest conference finish (eighth) in four years. Last season, the school had its first 10-win campaign since 2017, notching its first-ever victory over Hawaii and defeating Long Beach State and UC Santa Barbara.
 

"We should have a talented, young Titans team with nine freshmen and nine upperclassmen. My biggest challenges are blending the personalities and making sure they are building the connection necessary to be successful on the court."

"We'll use our pre-conference tournaments for growth and learning, which will allow us to peak at the right time for the conference season," said Cannon, who team opens at home against conference foes UC San Diego on Sept. 26 and Long Beach State on Sept. 27.

Joining Cannon on the volleyball staff are Aerielle Edwards and Kenny Ma, who both assisted her at Riverside.

Cannon's primary on-court focus is offensive systems. Edwards, who will be the assistant head coach, will focus on liberos, passing and in-game service calls and defensive adjustments. Ma, who will concentrate on blocking, also is playing a major role with statistics and recruiting.

"Aerielle's work on first-contact plays -- serves and back-row passes – is excellent. Kenny and I will both work with the setters. He is phenomenal as a blocking coach and the way he handles all the stats."  

Cannon's ability to lead is just one of the traits that led to her being hired in February, said Fullerton Director of Athletics Jim Donovan.

"I've always been impressed with Nicky's drive, energy and enthusiasm. It's a pleasant surprise to see her assistant coaches have those same special attributes," said Donovan. "I expect we'll see some fantastic effort on the volleyball court this year as Nicky builds the team culture we need to compete in the Big West."

Cannon plans to promote the volleyball program on multiple social media platforms as well as via the Titans Sports Network.

She has launched an alumni mentoring program. Each current player will have an alumni mentor providing feedback and advice, both volleyball- and career-related.

The public will have an opportunity to meet the coaches and players at the Volley & Vibes Fundraiser on Saturday at Titan Gym. An intra squad team scrimmage will be held at 10:00 a.m., with the fundraiser following at 11:30 a.m. Participants must register by Friday. Register here. 

Cannon, who was the recruiting coordinator in her earlier stint at Fullerton, is pleased with the team she and her staff have assembled. "We have done a pretty good job in the recruiting battles this year," she said.

Although Fullerton lacks a beach volleyball program that some other Big West schools have, Cannon said Fullerton has a lot to offer recruits.

"We are in beautiful Orange County, so close to the mountains and the beaches. But more importantly, our academic resources and support system are huge selling points. Fullerton has one of the most amazing presidents in Ronald Rochon. And we have a phenomenal athletic director, Jim Donovan, who loves volleyball."

"At our summer camps, when teenagers asked our players why they picked Fullerton to attend, they cited the coaching staff as the primary reason. Kids want to play for coaches they trust."

Senior Mya Tillman, a 5-foot-7 setter from Bellflower, and 6-foot middle blocker Ketesia Hall from Long Beach are the lone returning starters for the Titans. They were among the standouts in spring practice.

"When I came here on Day 1 and did one-on-ones with the players, I fell in love with Mya out of the gate. Diving into her story, I thought, 'You are exactly what this program needs.' She leads with her intention on the court, she leads verbally and she leads by her sacrifices and what she does for her teammates."

"Ketesia also was a standout player this spring. We could tell in a month or two how fast she progressed. She is quite versatile and is more than just a middle. She is a great right side, and she can pass and play back-row."

Two transfers and three incoming freshmen are expected to bolster the squad.

Kaivea Johnson, a 5-foot-8 junior libero from BYU, comes from a high-level program. She has versatility across the backcourt, is very consistent and brings a lot of maturity, said Cannon.

Carissa Wiles, a 6-foot grad transfer from UC Riverside, was a team leader on Cannon's squad last year. "She has a hammer of an arm and is a solid outside hitter. But more than anything, she is the player that initiates what a player-led team looks like," the coach said.  

Lira Pukl Verdel from Slovenia, Mia Fieldhouse from Germany and Hannah Hass from Corona are expected to be freshmen standouts.

Pukl Verdel, a 6-foot outside hitter, and Fieldhouse, a 5-foot-5 libero, have competed against international competition for multiple years. "As we watched tapes of them playing against 25-year-olds to 35-year-olds, we thought, 'Oh my God, it looks like they are playing against Nebraska right now.' They are used to performing at a really high level despite being so young."

Hass was an All-CIF performer who helped lead Corona High School to a CIF championship as a senior. "Hannah has one of the sharpest volleyball minds we've seen at her age. Her ability to read the game, make quick decisions at the net and lead through action sets her apart."

Cannon took a circuitous path to become a Division 1 volleyball coach. Born and raised in Lancaster, she played softball, basketball and volleyball with her older sister Melissa and her identical twin Natalie at Highland High School in Palmdale. Her father, Ron Rawson, is a retired Los Angeles Police Department officer, and her mother, Christina, is a homemaker.
 

All three sisters earned athletic scholarships to Colgate University in Hamilton, N.Y. "I tried go get as far away from home as possible," joked Cannon, who was a right-handed starting pitcher and third baseman for Colgate. She received a bachelor's degree in political science.

After graduation, Cannon moved to the nation's capital and worked for a lobbying firm specializing in copyright law. "I wanted to live in Washington D.C., and I had always wanted to be in politics. But after a couple years, I realized K Street was a twisted world and not who I was. I wasn't prepared for that life, and I wasn't built to be behind a computer screen."

She then moved back to California, took part in fitness competitions and became a personal trainer certified by the National Academy of Sports Medicine. Living in North Hollywood, she served as a personal trainer for several celebrities. Her clients included Kimberly Locke, who finished third in the second season of "American Idol," and radio host Shawn Parr, who is dubbed the nation's "Ambassador of Country Music."   

"I made really good money, but it was not fulfilling," said Cannon, who switched to training high school athletes. "I enjoyed that so much more, getting them ready for the next level."

In 2012, Cannon's husband Jerron Cannon, a California corrections officer, was left jobless because of mass layoffs. Around this same time, her twin, Natalie Burton, was the volleyball head coach at Midwestern State University in Wichita Falls, Texas.

"My sister wanted me to co-create a girls volleyball club there, and I was going to handle the administrative work. Our club, Zone-In Volleyball Academy, ended up with more teams than we expected. Natalie wanted me to coach the 14-and-under group. She said, 'I will teach you everything you need to know.' "

With the help of her sister, and other mentors like legendary collegiate coach Ruth Nelson, Cannon became successful in her new career path. She went on to become the volleyball coach and athletic director of Christ Academy, a private school in Wichita Falls.

By 2016, Jerron's corrections job was restored. And the family, which by then included daughters Rishae and Syriah, returned to Southern California.
 

Cannon became an assistant women's volleyball coach at Cypress College. After three years at Cypress, she was hired as an assistant coach by then-Fullerton head coach Ashley Preston. This winter, things came full circle as Cannon returned to Cal State Fullerton, which will be much shorter commute from her Brea home.  

"Nicky has a great passion for empowering young women," said Burton, who now works in real estate in Loveland, Colo. "She has a way of rallying girls to believe in themselves and create something greater, not just as a volleyball player. She empowers them in life through sports."

Cannon, who earned a master's degree at Azusa Pacific University, said trust and genuine love are needed to build and maintain a program. "On the court, a coach must have a feeling for the vibes of the game and make sure the players are their best selves and put in positions to succeed."

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