Panama Grad Nagel Earns 500th Career Volleyball Victory As Duke Coach

DURHAM, N.C. — Chautauqua Sports Hall of Fame inductee Jolene Nagel reached another significant career milestone on Friday.

The Panama Central School graduate tallied her 500th win as volleyball coach at Duke University when the Blue Devils outlasted Colgate 3-2 at Cameron Indoor Stadium.

Five-hundred of Nagel’s 703-career wins have come in Durham, and she captured her 700th-career win a season ago. She is one of eight active head coaches to have 700 or more wins.

“(I am) proud of our team today to persevere and win in five against an always good Colgate team,” Nagel said on Duke’s athletic website. “Things weren’t always smooth, but the team stayed with it and got better as the match progressed. We had some great contributions off the bench, which were key.”

The 2024 season marks the 54th iteration of Blue Devils’ volleyball and the 26th year for Nagel.

“This 500th win at Duke was very special today to share with Team 54,” she said on the website. “We have been talking about the teams that have come before us and discussing what kind of legacy 54 wants to leave. I’m encouraged by their grittiness today and grateful for our many teams in the history of Duke volleyball who have laid the groundwork for excellence on the court and in the classroom.”

Nagel became Duke’s fifth head volleyball coach in 1999, joining the Blue Devils’ staff after successful stints at Cornell and Georgetown. Along the way she has led Duke to 12 NCAA Tournament appearances, including an ACC-record seven consecutive trips to the postseason event from 2005-2011.

Nagel graduated from Panama Central in 1979 after earning 12 varsity letters, including in volleyball where she played for Deb Palmer. Nagel is a 2007 CSHOF inductee while Palmer was enshrined in 2017.

Nagel will look for another victory at 3 p.m. today when Duke entertains No. 13 Kansas.