Doneva Bays, a 1997 Milligan graduate and 2009 Milligan Athletics Hall of Fame inductee as multi-sport standout for the Buffs, enters her 17th season at the helm of the Milligan women’s volleyball program in 2024. In 2021, she became the athletic department’s first-ever Senior Woman Administrator (SWA).
Bays is the winningest volleyball coach in Appalachian Athletic Conference (AAC) history with 316 career victories and 205 AAC regular season victories. Under Bays, the Buffs have never had a losing record in conference play and have recorded 15-straight seasons with winning records in league play.
Bays was honored as the AAC Coach of the Year for the second time in her career in 2023. The Buffs posted a 26-7 record and finished as the AAC regular season runner-up with a 19-2 conference record. The Buffs finished one game short of a national tournament berth as Milligan reached the AAC Tournament semifinals. Bays notched her 300th win at Milligan and 200th AAC win during the 2023 season.
In 2023 Milligan set program records for AAC winning percentage (.905), the longest winning streak in team history (13) and notched 13 regular season conference sweeps. Kolbie Greene was honored as the AAC Setter of the Year and was joined on the AVCA All-Region Team by Ella Maiden. Maiden led the nation in solo blocks (70) and was one of four players to average at least one block per set and three kills per set in 2023.
In early 2014, Bays was assigned a startup men’s program which competes as a club team.
Bays came to Milligan with a rich understanding of the college as she excelled in the Milligan athletic program, lettering with the Buffaloes in volleyball and basketball. Bays was a member of the 1996 volleyball team which was ranked as high as No. 15 nationally and earned a berth to the NAIA national tournament.
With the Milligan volleyball team, Bays was honored as a member of the All-Conference, All-Region, and All-American teams. She also was selected as the Tennessee Valley Athletic conference and the Mid-South Region Player of the Year. In basketball, Bays posted over 1,000 points in the Milligan uniform and was a pivotal part of Coach Rich Aubrey’s squad that finished No. 16 at the NAIA national tournament in Angola, Indiana.
Previous coaching experience for Bays came at NCAA Division I Coastal Carolina University (S.C.) and Georgetown College (Ky.). With Georgetown, Bays was a part of the Tigers elite eight season and helped the team set a school record of 40-5. Georgetown reached a ranking as high as No. 4 in the nation.
Bays also served as head coach of the Coast Volleyball Club in San Diego, Calif., which was under the direction of volleyball great Mary Jo Peppler. Bays started her coaching career as a graduate assistant for East Tennessee State University. Before coming to back to Milligan, Bays served as assistant director of recreation for Scott County (Va.) Parks and Recreation.
Bays’ holds a Bachelor of Science degree in physical education from Milligan and has completed all coursework for her master’s in sports science from East Tennessee State University. She resides in Gate City, Virginia, with her daughter, Makayla.