Former Horizon League First Team, Offensive, and Player of the Year, Darien Bandel is back in the Black and Gold and was named an assistant coach in April 2026 by head coach Krista Rice.
"I'm thrilled to welcome Darien back to Oakland as part of our coaching staff. As an alum of our program, she understands what it means to represent Oakland Volleyball and brings a genuine passion for our culture and student-athletes," said Rice. "Her experience coaching at a high level in the state of Michigan, along with her familiarity with the Horizon League, makes her a great fit. We're excited for the impact she'll have on our team both on and off the court.""
Bandel heads back to Rochester after playing as an outside hitter for the Golden Grizzlies from 2014-17.Â
The Ortonville, Mich. native became the first Oakland player in the Division I era to be named conference player of the year in 2017. In her senior season, she set the program record in single-season kills/set (4.31) and brought in 491 total kills, which is the second-most in a single season in Oakland history. Bandel finished the 2017 season ranking 22nd in the NCAA in kills per set (4.31), 27th in total kills (491), 46th in attacks per set (11.22), 47th in total attacks (1,279), 31st in points (545), and 24th in points per set (4.78).
"Coming back to Oakland as an alum and now joining the volleyball program as an assistant coach means a lot to me. This place played such an important role in my development, and I'm incredibly excited for the opportunity to give back to a program and university that means so much to me," said Bandel. "I'm grateful to Krista and Abby, and I can't wait to get to work and help continue building something special here."
Bandel brings 18 years of combined high school and club coaching experience, with a strong history of postseason success. At the high school level, Bandel coached at Birmingham Groves (2018–19), helped lead Notre Dame Prep to a State Semifinal appearance in 2020, guided Northville to a State Quarterfinal finish in 2021, and continued that success at Saline from 2022–25, including another State Semis run. At the club level, Bandel coached with Legacy Volleyball Club from 2016–21 before joining L2 Volleyball Club in 2022, where she continues to develop athletes and compete at a high level.
A three-time Horizon League Academic Honor Roll member and Horizon League All-Academic in 2017, Bandel graduated with a Bachelor's Degree in Social Work from Oakland in 2018 before obtaining a Master's Degree in Social Work from Wayne State in 2019.
