Josh Higby enters his fifth season with the Utica University volleyball program as head coach in 2025. Higby directs all facets of the program including recruiting, game and practice preparation, and program administration. He was named head coach in August of 2021.
The 2024 season saw the Pioneers battle through a competitive schedule, finishing with a 9–15 overall record and a 3–8 mark in Empire 8 play. Peyton Miggliaccio was recognized for her leadership, integrity, and positive impact on and off the court as Utica’s recipient of the Empire 8 Sportswoman of the Year Award.
In 2023, Higby led the Pioneers to a 16–13 record, including a dominant 5–1 mark at home. The season marked the first time in program history that Utica recorded consecutive winning seasons and qualified for the Empire 8 Tournament in back-to-back years. The Pioneers fell in the first round to third-seeded Keuka College, 3–1. That season also saw Eleanor Cepiel earn her second straight Empire 8 First Team honor and become the program’s all-time leader in kills with 1,113. Over the past two seasons, the Pioneers have compiled a combined 32–27 overall record and an 11–4 home record under Higby’s direction.
The 2022 campaign saw the Pioneers finish 17–12 overall and 6–3 at home, earning the program’s first-ever playoff berth based solely on its record. The team captured its first postseason victory with a 3–2 win over third-seeded Nazareth College in the Empire 8 quarterfinals before falling to second-seeded Hartwick College, 3–2, in the semifinals. Cepiel, who had earned Empire 8 Third Team honors in 2021, was elevated to the First Team under Higby’s coaching, while Krystell Pappas was named to the Empire 8 All-Tournament Team.
In his inaugural season in 2021, Higby led Utica to its highest win total since 2014, finishing 8–17 overall with four home victories, including notable wins over Keuka and Alfred. That year, Cepiel earned Empire 8 Third Team honors, and Kurstan Martin joined her in earning Empire 8 weekly accolades.
Higby returned to campus after a stint at nearby Mohawk Valley Community College, where he served as the head volleyball coach for the last seven years. Higby was named the Mountain Valley Conference Coach of the Year in 2019 after leading the Hawks to an NJCAA Region III Tournament berth.
Higby is no stranger to Utica, as he received both his bachelor's and master's degrees from Utica while also playing on the men's lacrosse team for four years. He was team captain in his junior and senior seasons.
