Coordinator of Fan Engagement
1st Year
Johnson County Community College • Lincoln Memorial University

Johnson County Community College volleyball alumna Kai Cothrin returned to campus prior to the fall of 2025 as a volunteer assistant for the volleyball program, and in November joined the athletic staff as Coordinator of Fan Engagement. She assists with the development and implementation of the department’s marketing initiatives, with an emphasis on branding and promotion across JCCC’s seven sports teams. Cothrin also leads efforts to enhance the fan experience at JCCC athletic events by increasing attendance and engaging both students and the Johnson County community.

Before returning to JCCC, Cothrin spent five years teaching and coaching in Texas at Newman Smith High School and Coppell High School. In 2023 and 2024 she served as the varsity assistant at Coppell, where the Cowgirls advanced to the Texas 6A playoffs. She also coached club volleyball for nine years with Texas Advantage Volleyball Club (TAV), Attack Volleyball Club, and Southwind Rising Volleyball Club. She served as head coach at one USAV Junior National Championship and as an assistant coach at four additional USAV Junior National Championships.

A native of Pleasant Hill, Mo., Cothrin competed in both volleyball and basketball at Pleasant Hill High School. She was a two-time All-State and All-Region selection and a three-time All-Conference pick in volleyball, leading her team to two Missouri Class 3 State Tournament appearances. In basketball she was twice named to the KMZU Dream Team. Off the court, she earned Academic All-Conference honors all four years and was named Academic All-America her senior year.

Cothrin continued her academic and athletic careers at Johnson County Community College, helping the Cavaliers qualify for the NJCAA Division II National Tournament in both of her seasons, finishing fifth in 2015 and ninth in 2016. As a sophomore she excelled on the court, finishing third on the team in kills (292) and blocks (88), and fourth in kills per set (2.09) and hitting percentage (.225). She recorded double-figure kills 11 times. Cothrin was named JCCC’s Academic Athlete of the Year in 2017.

Cothrin transferred to Lincoln Memorial University, where she became a three-sport athlete, competing in volleyball, beach volleyball, and basketball her junior and senior years. As a senior she played in 30 volleyball matches with 10 starts and recorded four double-figure kill matches, finishing with 182 kills for the season. In beach volleyball her junior year she competed in 15 matches alongside partner Danielle Strachura, and the duo finished with an 8–13 record.  Her senior year she and teammate Sarah Jones competed in 19 matches and finished with a team-best record of 12-7. In basketball, Cothrin played in 15 games, including one start, and averaged 1.5 points and 1.5 rebounds.

Cothrin earned her degree in Exercise Science from LMU in 2019. She and her husband, Caleb -  a former goalkeeper at JCCC and LMU - reside in Lenexa, Kan.