Beach Volleyball
- Title:
- Assistant Coach
MacKenzie Steele joined the Missouri State beach volleyball staff as an assistant coach in 2026 following a record-setting four-year playing career with the Bears.
Steele concluded her collegiate career as Missouri State’s all-time leader with 76 individual victories. She was a consistent presence in the Bears’ lineup throughout her career and helped the program reach new heights during its first seasons as a Conference USA affiliate.
As a senior in 2026, Steele posted a team-best 24-6 record alongside Amanda Cleary while competing primarily at Flight No. 2. The duo closed the season on a program-record 15-match winning streak and finished its career together with a 63-23 record, the most victories by a pair in Missouri State history.
Steele helped lead the Bears to a 24-6 record in 2026, the second-most victories in a season in program history. Missouri State opened the campaign with a program-record 14 consecutive wins, finished 9-0 at home and went 3-0 against Conference USA opponents during the regular season.
At the CUSA Championship, Steele went undefeated with victories against FIU, UAB and South Florida. Her win against FIU helped Missouri State rally from a 2-0 deficit to earn a 3-2 victory in the opening round, marking the program’s first postseason win and first victory over FIU.
Steele and Cleary earned the American Volleyball Coaches Association Top Flight Award in each of Steele’s final two seasons. The pair became Missouri State’s all-time leader in victories by a duo during the 2025 season before extending that record to 63 wins in 2026.
During her four seasons with the Bears, Steele recorded 13 victories as a freshman in 2023, 20 in 2024, 19 in 2025 and 24 as a senior in 2026.
Off the court, Steele was a three-time member of the Conference USA Commissioner’s Honor Roll and was named to the Missouri State Athletics Director’s Honor Roll seven times during her collegiate career.
A native of Nashville, Tenn., Steele came to Missouri State after attending Nashville Christian School and Acellus Academy.
