Stow volleyball coach Scott Carter says he will not be back next season: State Volleyball Insider

Tim Warsinskey, Plain Dealer Reporter, November 12, 2009 7:02 p.m.

Stow sophomore volleyball player Lexi Stefanov, right, attempts a spike over Dublin Coffman's Meredith Stranges today during a Division I state semifinal. Dublin Coffman won, 3-0. - (Photo by Nick Falzerano / www.ImpactActionPhotos.com )

Fairborn, Ohio -- Scott Carter said he will not return as Stow's coach next season, but Athletic Director Cyle Feldman is hoping to talk Carter into returning.

Carter said family and professional issues were his top concerns. He has one small child with another on the way. He also runs a volleyball recruiting business.

Carter has been rumored to be returning to college coaching, but said he does not have any firm plans.

"I'll miss the girls, and being in the gym and watching the girls grow every single day," he said.

Carter is in his second year at Stow, which is his first job as a head coach. Stow reached the regionals last year and was 19-7, and the Bulldogs were a surprise regional champ this year. They lost a state semifinal Thursday, 3-0, to Dublin Coffman and finished 15-12.

"I'll give him a chance to reflect a little bit and try to talk him into staying," Feldman said. "If his mind is made up, we'll move on."

Coach remembered: Division IV semifinalist Tuscarawas Central Catholic players said former coach Sandy Bongini was in their thoughts this week.

Bongini died of a heart attack in 2006. She was the mother of Painesville Riverside coach Stacy Sepelak, whose team lost to Stow in the Division I regional finals last week.

"It was her dream to get here and she never made it," senior Molly Lawless said. "We are very happy to have done that and know that Coach Bongini is very happy looking down on us knowing that we made it."

Central Catholic lost to Norwalk St. Paul on Thursday.

Road trip: Four busses brought more than 200 enthusiastic Stow students to the tournament. "We love our fans," Bulldogs senior Charlotte Sykora said. "Our student section is a big part of us."

Back to Fairborn: The Ohio High School Athletic Association is looking to ink a five-year deal to host the state volleyball tournament and it appears it will stay at Wright State's Nutter Center. Associate Commissioner Deborah Moore said no other facility has yet expressed an interest, and she was not in favor of Ohio State's St. John Arena because the tournament would conflict with an Ohio State football game every other year.

To reach this Plain Dealer reporter:

twarsinskey@plaind.com, 216-999-4661