Jackie Simpson Kirr

Position: Head Coach • Fourth Season

Jackie Simpson Kirr, a two-time All-American setter at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, completed her third season at the helm of the Clemson Volleyball program in 2023 after serving as the associate head coach and the team’s offensive and recruiting coordinator for four seasons. Simpson Kirr joined the staff on April 24, 2017 and was promoted to head coach on May 6, 2021.

Since arriving at Clemson, Simpson Kirr has helped guide the Tigers to three postseason appearance, including the first since 2009 with appearances in the National Invitational Volleyball Championship (NIVC) in 2018, 2022 and 2023. She has mentored seven different players that earned All-ACC accolades on 10 occasions. Simpson Kirr has also raised the bar when it comes to recruiting. After bringing in two recruiting classes that were given honorable mention recognition by the AVCA, Clemson’s 2020 recruiting class was tabbed No. 24 in the nation and was just one of two recruiting classes in the nation to feature four All-Americans.

The 2023 season saw the Tigers hit their stride by making their second-consecutive NIVC postseason appearance and advancing to the Quarterfinals. In the third season under Simpson Kirr’s leadership, Clemson finished with 271 total blocks. 71 block solos and 2.24 per set to mark the most by the team since 2014 and also tallied 195 aces for the most since 2004. Clemson claimed tournament victories at the Big Orange Bash and Tulane Invitational. A strong start in preseason helped the team clock in at No. 51 in the first official RPI of 2023 and had the team climbing to No. 45 for the highest program RPI since 2008. During ACC play, the Tigers won three-consecutive ACC matches to mark the most consecutive win since 2019, that included sweeps against Syracuse and Boston College. The victory against the Orange snapped an 11-game losing streak and marks only the fourth time overall and second at Syracuse that the Tigers have won. Clemson also defeated Miami (Fla.) in five sets inside Jervey Gym for the first win against the Hurricanes since 2020. Clemson concluded the season with a 19-14 overall record – the most wins since 2018 – and an 8-10 ACC record to finish tied for eighth in the ACC – the highest finish in conference play since 2012. Clemson concluded the season in the Quarterfinals of the NIVC after defeating Eastern Kentucky and Ball State in the first and second rounds of play. Individually on the season, Simpson Kirr guided graduate Mckenna Slavik to third all-time in career assists with 4,838 and ends her career sitting fifth in assists per set (9.60) and tying for the most career starts (135). Both Slavik and junior Devan Taylor surpassed 1,000-career digs that included Taylor entering Clemson’s Top 10 list with 1,284 which ranks seventh. Freshman Kennedy Wagner garnered ACC Freshman of the Week honors to mark back-to-back seasons with an ACC weekly honor.

In 2022, Simpson Kirr led the Tigers back to the NIVC for the first postseason appearance since 2018 and the first under her tutelage. In the second season with Simpson Kirr at the helm, Clemson defeated in-state rival South Carolina, 3-2, for the first time since 2014 and the first in Jervey Gym since 2013. The Tigers also defeated Notre Dame, 3-2, for the first time since 2014 and marked the second time Clemson has defeated the Fighting Irish on the road to snap an eight-game losing streak. Under Simpson Kirr’s direction, three Tigers garnered ACC All-Conference honors with Camryn Hannah and Slavik picking up All-ACC Second Team honors and Mia McGrath earning ACC All-Freshman accolades. Slavik also moved up two spots on Clemson’s Career List tallying 3,863 career assists to sit fifth, while off the court, Slavik garnered College Sports Communicator Academic All-District honors. Redshirt freshman Jacyn Bamis garnered ACC Freshman of the Week honors to become the first Tiger to earn an ACC weekly honor since March 2021.

In her first season as head coach, Simpson Kirr led the Tigers to accomplishing numerous feats, including defeating Rutgers in three sets on Sept. 17 for the first win Clemson has had over a Big Ten opponent since 1999. Under her guidance, Clemson started the season 10-3 to mark the best start since 2014 and also started 2-0 in ACC action for the first time since 2011. The Tigers posted a perfect 8-0 mark against non-conference opponents in Jervey Gym and finished with 59 block solos on the year, the most in both areas since 2014. The 2021 season also played host to the third-fewest attack errors in program history, and the 12-win season is the most wins in the inaugural season of a head coaches’ tenure since Jolene Hoover won 27 in 1993.

During the unprecedented 2020 campaign, Simpson Kirr and the Tigers opened the season with a 3-2 upset victory over No. 12 Miami (Fla.). Then freshman outside hitter Hannah finished with a standout first season in the Clemson Orange and Regalia under Simpson Kirr’s direction. Hannah picked up All-ACC Second Team and ACC All-Freshman Team honors after leading all freshman in the ACC in kills and kills per set. She also garnered an AVCA All-Region East selection and AVCA All-American Honorable Mention. Simpson Kirr guided freshman Cate Long to finish eighth in the NCAA for total aces (38). Both Hannah and Long also garnered a combined four All-ACC weekly honors during the year.

In 2019, Simpson Kirr and the Tigers went 3-0, including a sweep over SEC foe Georgia and a four-set win over a 2019 NCAA tournament qualifier in Kennesaw State, to win the annual Big Orange Bash tournament. Clemson’s 2019 non-conference slate was also highlighted by the program’s first-ever win over Central Arkansas as well as victories over Appalachian State and Oral Roberts. Simpson Kirr and the Tigers made history in the month of October that year when Clemson downed four straight ACC opponents, a first for the program since 2012. Outside hitter Kaylin Korte garnered Second Team All-ACC status for the second time of her career, having done so in 2017, after Korte tied for fifth in the conference in kills (3.58/set). Additionally, freshman setter Slavik was one of just five Power-5 freshman setters to average at least 9.70 assists per set.

In 2018, Simpson Kirr mentored then redshirt-sophomore Brooke Bailey, a transfer from Ohio State, who earned Second Team All-ACC honors after she finished the regular season ranked fifth in kills (3.71/set) against ACC opponents. Additionally, former Clemson setter Gabby Easton and right side hitter Solei Thomas were named to the All-ACC Freshman Team. Easton was the top freshman setter in the conference after leading all freshmen in the ACC in assists during the regular season with 1,278 (10.74/set), which also put her at No. 3 overall in the ACC. Her 10.74 assists per set average was also good for fifth in the nation among all freshmen and ranked third among Power-5 freshmen. Easton’s 1,278 assists were also the second most by a freshman in program history, a milestone that she reached with two matches remaining in Clemson’s regular season. Thomas ranked second on the team in kills after averaging 2.89 kills per set in 2018. Thomas totaled 17 double-digit kill matches, including a career-best 20 kills against Appalachian State (Sept. 1, 2018). Both Easton and Thomas were named ACC Freshman of the Week on two occasions each. The 2018 ACC postseason awards announcement marked the first time since 2011 Clemson collected three ACC postseason selections. In the spring of 2018, Clemson’s incoming recruiting class was given the highest honorable mention by PrepVolleyball.com.

Additionally, Simpson Kirr has had three players in Slavik, Korte and Bailey earn spots on a USA Volleyball Collegiate National Team. Slavik is a two-time selection securing a spot on the 2022 U.S. Collegiate National Team-Anaheim and another on the 2020 U.S. Collegiate National Team-Anaheim in the spring of 2020, but was unable to compete due to the coronavirus pandemic (COVID-19), which caused the cancelation of the event. Both Korte and Bailey earned spots on the 2018 U.S. Collegiate National Team-Detroit.

Since joining the Tigers’ staff, Simpson Kirr has lured five Power-5 transfers to Clemson in outside hitters Adria Powell (Ohio State), Bailey (Ohio State) and Korte (Illinois), setter Caroline Pearson (Arizona State) and defensive specialist/setter Katie Culumovic (Mississippi State). In 2017, Simpson Kirr guided Korte to Second Team All-ACC status, who led the team in kills (3.36/set) and attempts (9.67/set). In the Tigers’ opening match of 2017, a win over Bethune-Cookman, Simpson Kirr steered Pearson to tally 57 assists, which was second-most in a four-set match among all ACC players in 2017.

Simpson Kirr was the head coach at George Mason in Fairfax, Virginia from 2015-16. In her first season with the Patriots, she led the team to the best Atlantic-10 finish in program history and its best overall record since 2010. While at the helm of the Patriot program, Simpson Kirr served on the AVCA All-American Selection Committee in 2016, during which time she was the East Region Committee Chair. She also earned the AVCA’s 30-under-30 Award in 2015, a prestigious national honor awarded to the top 30 volleyball coaches, at any level, under the age of 30.

Prior to her time at George Mason, Simpson Kirr was an assistant coach at Iowa for the 2014 season. She also previously served as an assistant coach at Marquette (2013-14), East Carolina (2010-13) and Winona State in Winona, Minnesota (2008-09).

Simpson Kirr was a standout setter both on the court and in the classroom at Wisconsin from 2004-07. She led the Badgers to four NCAA Tournament appearances, including two Elite Eight berths. Simpson Kirr was a two-time AVCA All-American and a two-time All-Big Ten selection. She ranks second all-time in Wisconsin program history in career assists and is 19th all-time among Big Ten setters.

Simpson Kirr earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Letters & Science – Sociology from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 2008. She earned a Master of Science degree in Exercise & Sport Science – Sport Psychology from East Carolina in 2013.

Kirr and her wife, Jordy Kirr, have two children, Jackson and Besser.