T-Birds Add Melesia Blackwill to Volleyball Staff

New Mexico Junior College has hired Melesia Blackwill to be the new assistant volleyball coach for the Thunderbirds. Blackwill will be joining the reigning WJCAC champions as they prepare for their 2023 title defense come August.

"I am deeply grateful to Coach Reyna for believing in me and giving me a chance to be part of her staff and the T-Bird volleyball program," Blackwill said. "It's an honor to have the opportunity to be able to work alongside our great coaches and staff. I hope to build a culture that will inspire the student-athletes who walked throughout NMJC's doors."

Blackwill comes to NMJC from Lovington High School in Lovington, NM where she was the freshman head women's volleyball coach. There she was mentored by the Wildcats' varsity women's volleyball head coach Marisa Ochoa.

"Coach Ochoa has played a big part in my volleyball coaching career," Blackwill said. "She taught me a lot about the sport last season as I began my volleyball coaching career. I am grateful for her love and support throughout the year."

The Sopu 'o Taufa'ahau, Tongatapu, Tonga native was a multi-sport athlete in high school playing netball, basketball, volleyball, and track & field. In 2004, she was selected to represent the Tonga Volleyball National Team. Blackwill trained in New Zealand as the national team prepared for the World Championships in Italy.

Coach Blackwill received an opportunity to pursue a track & field scholarship at NMJC during this time and left the national team to join the Thunderbirds. She attended NMJC from 2005-07 competing in the heptathlon, long jump, triple jump, high jump, discus, javelin, and shot put.

Blackwill was the first NMJC women's track & field athlete to win an individual national title (indoor triple jump 2006). She also was the 2007 winner of NMJC's prestigious Dutch Klein Award. The honor is given to a Thunderbird athlete that exudes citizenship, community service, as well as outstanding academic and athletic achievement. 

Blackwill continued her career at the University of the Southwest in Hobbs as a thrower in the shot put and discus. She was the NAIA outdoor discus national champion in 2010 for the Mustangs.  

Blackwill graduated from NMJC with an Associate of Arts in 2007.  She double majored at the University of the Southwest, graduating in 2011 with a BS in Physical Education and a BA in Sport Management.

The NMJC volleyball team will begin their season at the Midland College Kick-off Classic against North Central Texas College Aug. 18 at 8 a.m. CDT in Midland, Texas.