OKWU’S SYDNEY COLLINS NAMED HEAD COACH VOLLEYBALL AT DOVER HIGH SCHOOL IN ARKANSAS
Oklahoma Wesleyan University’s stand-out volleyball player Sydney Collins (center) will be the head volleyball coach for Dover High School in Arkansas.
BECKY BURCH/Bartlesville Area Sports
By Mike Tupa
March 23, 2026
BARTLESVILLE AREA SPORTS REPORT
Ever since she stepped on the Bruin Fieldhouse volleyball court eight years ago, Sydney Collins brought a Brobdingnagian talent and an invincible competitive edge to the mix.
Her years in a Lady Bruin uniform proved to be some of the most successful in team history.
Her amazing versatility remains another part of her sterling Bartlesville legacy. In her first two seasons, she established herself arguably as the top libero in the state.
But, out of necessity, she switched — without complaining — to the role of setter her final two years of high school.
And then she became the top setter in the nation while playing for Oklahoma Wesleyan University.
Now she’s done with college — and employment is not an issue.
Dover High School in Arkansas has hired this fresh-out-of-the-university as its new head coach for its entire volleyball program.
This is a true Bartlesville story in other ways.
Her mother, Tracie Gillette, also starred at OKWU back in the 1990s. Gillette went on to coach the Bartlesville High School volleyball team — to great success — in the early-to-mid 2000s. Gillette then took charge as head coach of the OKWU volleyball team; she has guided it to national prominence.
One of her most dynamic players has been daughter Sydney, who is now following in her mother’s whistle blows as a volleyball coach.
Collins was a three-year All-American for OKWU and topped the nation in assists per game. She set a school record with 4,333 assists.
Gillette said she believes Collins’ amazing resume as a player is a major reason Dover took a chance on bringing in a college graduate.
Praising her daughter’s character, Gillette said it’s special to see her love the sport so much and want to be a part of it.
“I’m so very proud of her,” Gillette said.
Collins is also on the verge of her marriage to OKWU student-athlete Isaac Stanek.