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Saint Mary's University of Minnesota Athletics

THE OFFICIAL SITE OF SAINT MARY'S UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA CARDINAL ATHLETICS

Mike Lester

  • Title
    Head Volleyball Coach
    Assistant AD / Compliance Officer
  • Email
    mlester@smumn.edu
  • Phone
    507-457-6954
Year at SMU: 19th (in 2016) / Year-by-Year Record
Record at SMU: 357-236
Career Record: 357-236
Mike Lester is the head volleyball coach, assistant athletic director and compliance officer at Saint Mary's University of Minnesota, a position he has held since the 1998-99 academic school year.

Lester has led the Cardinals to four straight MIAC post-season appearances in 2013, 2014, 2015, and 2016, reaching the semifinals in three of those four years. Saint Mary's has now qualified for the MIAC tournament 11 times in the tourney's 16-year history.

In 2009, Lester guided Saint Mary's to a 22-10 record and earned a berth in the MIAC and NCAA Central Regional Tournaments. The Cardinals' NCAA Regional Tournament berth was also Saint Mary's second in program history.

In 2000, Lester led the Cardinals to their first-ever MIAC regular-season championship, a team-record 27 wins and its first NCAA Division III Regional Tournament appearance. The Cardinals' 10-1 conference mark in 2001 also earned Lester MIAC Coach of the Year honors.

As a player, Lester was a two-time, first-team volleyball All-American and four-year letterwinner at Graceland College.
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