2020 Grad Hopes To Bring Back High-Tempo Volleyball
A familiar face will be guiding the Rockbridge County High School volleyball team this fall.
Graceon Armstrong Whitesell, a 2020 RCHS graduate who played volleyball for the Wildcats, replaces Gabe Wagner, who stepped down after two years of coaching the Wildcats. Wagner is headed to the University of Pacific in California, where he will serve as an assistant coach for the men’s volleyball team in its first year of competition in 12 years. In addition to coaching at RC, Wagner was an assistant coach for the Southern Virginia University men’s volleyball team, which won the school’s first-ever national title last year.
Whitesell, 24, brings extensive playing and coaching experience. She was a three-year varsity starter for the Wildcats, a three-time all-district selection, a two-time all-region honoree, and a two-time all-state selection. As a junior in 2018, she was named Region 3C player of the year. Under the direction of then-head coach Amanda McCoy, Whitesell helped lead the Wildcats to two Region 3C titles and two Class 3 state quarterfinal appearances.
Whitesell played one season of Division III volleyball for Bridgewater College, a season condensed due to COVID-19. She then ended her playing career and transferred to Mary Baldwin University, where she earned a bachelor of arts degree in business administration in 2023.
While a student at Mary Baldwin, Whitesell served as an assistant coach for RC for two years, in 2021 for McCoy and in 2022 for Kassidy Beagan. After graduating from Mary Baldwin, Whitesell became a business teacher for Montevideo Middle School in the fall of 2023 in Penn Laird. The following year, she served as an assistant volleyball coach at Spotswood High School, under Owen Longacre.
Whitesell said she decided to apply for the head coaching position at RC because “I wanted to give back to the community that gave so much to me when I was a player here. I felt really supported by the Rockbridge community, so I felt like it was my turn to give back. … Plus, I just love the game.”
Graceon got married to Joseph Whitesell, also a 2020 RC graduate, in July 2024, and switched to the Rockbridge County school system last fall, teaching business classes from ninth to 12th grade at RC. She also served as the head coach for the Maury River Middle School volleyball team.
She has been getting to know the RC players at open gyms this spring, and the Wildcats are looking for new assistant coaches.
Whitesell inherits a program that went 10-10 overall and 8-8 in its first year in the Shenandoah District, coming up just short of advancing to the Region 3C tournament. In two years under Wagner, the Wildcats went 2221, making an impressive run to the Region 3C semifinals in 2023. The Wildcats graduated five seniors from last year’s team, led by second-team all-district middle hitter Mackenzie McCormick, who is headed to Division III school Eastern Mennonite University to play volleyball this fall.
Reviewing his experience as the Wildcats’ coach and optimistic about what the team can do under Whitesell, Wagner said, “My time at Rockbridge taught me a lot about coaching and myself. I certainly was not a perfect coach, but I am truly grateful to the girls and their parents for helping me learn and grow. I am very excited for Graceon and [the Wildcats]. She is inheriting a really amazing squad with a lot of great senior leadership. Beyond the talent, the girls returning are quality people who I am sure will build a great culture.”
Setting early goals, Whitesell said she wants the Wildcats “to come out a little bit better than what they did last year. However, I really am focused on bringing back a high-tempo game to Rockbridge, as far as making sure we are winning the first ball and that our serve receive is on top. I just feel like it’s kind of slowed down, and I want to bring back that fast-tempo game that was here a few years ago.”
Whitesell said McCoy was an inspiration as a coach. McCoy, who will start her first season as the head coach at Christiansburg High School this fall, led the Wildcats to five district titles and two regional titles in her six years as head coach, from 201621. “Amanda was definitely my biggest influence, as far as the tempo of game I want to play,” said Whitesell.
Her other big influence was her mother, Misty Armstrong, who coached the RC girls basketball team for three years from 2018-21, with Whitesell as an all-district forward. Under Armstrong, the Wildcats made it to the Valley District finals and the Region 3C quarterfinal in the 2018-19 season, Whitesell’s junior season. Whitesell said her mother’s main influence was in “the way that she was able to connect with players, on and off the floor.”
Aiming to combine what she learned from McCoy and her mother, Whitesell said, “I’m definitely trying to mesh those two styles together, making sure that we have discipline and accountability with the program, but at the same time being a relational coach as well.”
“We are thrilled to welcome Graceon back to lead our volleyball program,” said RC athletic director Anthony Marasco. “Her passion for Rockbridge County, her knowledge of the game, and her commitment to developing student-athletes make her an outstanding choice to guide our program into the future.”
Both of Whitesell’s parents, Misty and Nathan Armstrong, grew up locally, with Misty going to Parry McCluer and Nathan going to RC.
Outside of coaching and teaching, Whitesell enjoys spending time with her husband, who is a firefighter and paramedic in Harrisonburg, and their two goldendoodles, Clover and Violet.
Whitesell is glad to be back in Rockbridge County, with a lot of familiarity with the staff and local residents. “I’m super thankful that they gave me this opportunity,” she said.
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