Obunaga steps down as MSU-N volleyball coach

Montana State University-Northern is now in search of a new head volleyball coach.

On Tuesday afternoon, Northern athletic director Christian Oberquell announced that Skylight’s head coach Rose Obunaga has resigned her post after two seasons at Northern.

Obunaga is leaving the program to reunite with her family. Obunaga's husband currently resides in Savannah, Georgia, and her daughter lives in Norfolk, Virginia.

“It’s just to go be with my family,” Obunaga said. “When I took this job, my husband looked for opportunities here in Havre, but he hasn’t been able to find one. So I thought with my profession being a little more flexible, it would be better if I moved to where he is.”

Obunaga was hired at Northern in the spring of 2017. She had been the head coach at NAIA Stephens College in Missouri. Prior to her time at Stephens College, Obunaga was a student assistant volleyball coach at Columbia College, where she earned a degree in Business Administration. Obunaga was a two-time Olympian, participating in both the Sidney (2000) and Athens (2004) Summer Olympic Games as a member of Kenya’s National Volleyball team, and also competed in the 1998 World Championships in Japan.

During her time at Northern, the Skylights were young and struggled in the Frontier Conference. However, Obunaga said that the results of the past two seasons had nothing to do with her decision to leave Northern, and that she sees a bright future for the Skylights.

“It was a tough season,” Obunaga said. “But I really do think the ladies that are here now have a lot of potential. I met with each of them yesterday, and they were very positive about wanting to continue working hard for the future. The team has a very positive attitdue and they’re great girls. So I know they’ll work hard for the new coach and they’ll continue to grow as a team. And I really do wish them well. I’m going to miss all of them.”

Obunaga will be missed, too.

"We are sad to see Rose go,” Oberquell said. “She did a lot for our department and for the volleyball program. She will be missed."

Oberquell said the search for Northern’s next head coach will begin immediately.