Ball State University Athletics
Women’s Volleyball Announces Staff Updates
July 08, 2026 | Women's Volleyball
MUNCIE, Ind. - - Ball State women's volleyball head coach Kelli Miller Phillips has made a pair adjustments to her staff for the upcoming 2026 season, with Darcy Dorton being promoted to Associate Head Coach and Taylor Babec joining the program as a graduate assistant and Director of Volleyball Operations.
Dorton, a former Delta High School standout and two-time NCAA Division I Women's Volleyball Champion at Penn State, completed her third season on staff in 2025. In her first three seasons on staff, Dorton has helped the Cardinals compile a 60-35 overall record and a 43-11 mark in Mid-American Conference play.
Her efforts on the bench and in the practice gym helped Ball State secure the 2025 MAC regular season championship, with a 17-1 league record, and hosting rights for the 2026 MAC Women's Volleyball Championship. The Cardinals finished the 2025 campaign ranked first in the MAC and 32nd nationally with a .258 attack percentage.
Ball State also led the league with a .677 winning percentage in 2025, while dishing out a MAC-best 12.67 assists per set. The Cardinals set a program record with a .267 attack percentage in 2024, which ranked first in the league and 25th nationally.
Over the past three seasons, Dorton has helped Ball State's student-athletes earn 10 First Team All-MAC honors, five MAC All-Freshman Team accolades, two MAC Freshman of the Year nods, the 2025 MAC Setters of the Year award and the 2025 MAC Player of the Year honor.
Babec joins the Ball State staff after spending the past two seasons as an assistant coach at Hope College where she helped guide the Flying Dutch to a 52-10 record. Hope went undefeated in Michigan Intercollegiate Athletics Association play during her tenure, capturing back-to-back regular season titles with unblemished 8-0 league marks.
In her first season on staff, the Flying Dutch boasted a 29-3 overall record, won the MIAA tournament and advanced to the 2024 NCAA Division III national semifinals. Despite suffering a 3-2 setback to top-ranked and eventual champion Juniata, which finished the year with a 35-0 record, Hope finished the year ranked third nationally and had a pair of AVCA All-Americans. The 2025 squad finished the season in the NCAA Division III regional semifinals and ranked 16th nationally, while boasting three AVCA All-Americans.
Prior to her coaching career, Babec was a four-year letterwinner at Illinois Wesleyan (2020-23) and finished her career ranked 14th in program history with a 0.70 block-per-set average. She helped guide the Titans to a 60-42 overall record, including a 21-10 mark in College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin play.
In addition, she helped IWU capture the 2021 CCIW regular season and tournament titles, along with a berth in the NCAA Division III Women's Volleyball Championship. Aside from finishing her career as one of the top blockers in program history, Babec was a 2023 College Sports Communicators Academic All-District selection and a three-time Academic All-CCIW honoree.
She played in 72 matches and 250 sets over her Titans career, collecting 324 kills and 174 total blocks, including 40 solo stuffs. She also served up 44 career aces, including 24 her senior season.
Dorton, a former Delta High School standout and two-time NCAA Division I Women's Volleyball Champion at Penn State, completed her third season on staff in 2025. In her first three seasons on staff, Dorton has helped the Cardinals compile a 60-35 overall record and a 43-11 mark in Mid-American Conference play.
Her efforts on the bench and in the practice gym helped Ball State secure the 2025 MAC regular season championship, with a 17-1 league record, and hosting rights for the 2026 MAC Women's Volleyball Championship. The Cardinals finished the 2025 campaign ranked first in the MAC and 32nd nationally with a .258 attack percentage.
Ball State also led the league with a .677 winning percentage in 2025, while dishing out a MAC-best 12.67 assists per set. The Cardinals set a program record with a .267 attack percentage in 2024, which ranked first in the league and 25th nationally.
Over the past three seasons, Dorton has helped Ball State's student-athletes earn 10 First Team All-MAC honors, five MAC All-Freshman Team accolades, two MAC Freshman of the Year nods, the 2025 MAC Setters of the Year award and the 2025 MAC Player of the Year honor.
Babec joins the Ball State staff after spending the past two seasons as an assistant coach at Hope College where she helped guide the Flying Dutch to a 52-10 record. Hope went undefeated in Michigan Intercollegiate Athletics Association play during her tenure, capturing back-to-back regular season titles with unblemished 8-0 league marks.
In her first season on staff, the Flying Dutch boasted a 29-3 overall record, won the MIAA tournament and advanced to the 2024 NCAA Division III national semifinals. Despite suffering a 3-2 setback to top-ranked and eventual champion Juniata, which finished the year with a 35-0 record, Hope finished the year ranked third nationally and had a pair of AVCA All-Americans. The 2025 squad finished the season in the NCAA Division III regional semifinals and ranked 16th nationally, while boasting three AVCA All-Americans.
Prior to her coaching career, Babec was a four-year letterwinner at Illinois Wesleyan (2020-23) and finished her career ranked 14th in program history with a 0.70 block-per-set average. She helped guide the Titans to a 60-42 overall record, including a 21-10 mark in College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin play.
In addition, she helped IWU capture the 2021 CCIW regular season and tournament titles, along with a berth in the NCAA Division III Women's Volleyball Championship. Aside from finishing her career as one of the top blockers in program history, Babec was a 2023 College Sports Communicators Academic All-District selection and a three-time Academic All-CCIW honoree.
She played in 72 matches and 250 sets over her Titans career, collecting 324 kills and 174 total blocks, including 40 solo stuffs. She also served up 44 career aces, including 24 her senior season.
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