Coaching Staff
Janelle Barrineau | Assistant Coach
Janelle Barrineau returned to her alma mater as assistant coach in January of 2023.
Barrineau, nee Sykes, spent the past five seasons as an assistant coach on Tim Doyle’s staff at William and Mary, where she helped recruit and develop several All-CAA players, including two-time First Team honoree Julia Brown. With Barrineau’s help, the Tribe won more matches in 2022 than in any season since 2013, and reached the CAA semifinals for the first time since 2009.
In May of 2022, Barrineau was named an AVCA 30 Under 30 award winner, an honor that seeks to identify rising stars in the volleyball coaching ranks.
Barrineau was a standout middle blocker for VCU from 2011-14. Her 336 career blocks rank 10th in school history and her 1.23 career blocks-per-set average is fifth-best all-time at VCU. As a senior in 2014, she hit .330 and averaged 2.82 kills and 1.20 blocks per set.
A native of Manassas, Va., she was named to the 2014 All-Atlantic 10 Conference First Team and was twice named to the A-10 All-Tournament Team. She was named A-10 Defensive Player of the Week five times during her career.
In 2015, Barrineau was selected to the Hammer Strength All-American Team for her dedication to excellence in the classroom, on the court, and within the strength and conditioning realm. She was also a two-time recipient of the Iron Ram Award at VCU. During her time as a student-athlete, she served as the team SAAC representative for three years and was a member of the SAAC Executive Board. In 2014, Barrineau was selected to attend the NCAA Career in Sports Forum. A native of Clifton, Va., Barrineau starred for Trinity Christian School in Fairfax, Va. prior to attending VCU and was inducted into the school's Hall of Fame in 2023.
She later played professionally in Azerbaijan, where she led Azeryol Baku to the final four of the CEV Cup, as well as Belgium. In 2017 with Volley Richa Michelbeke, she ranked third in her league in blocks.
Barrineau received a Bachelor of Science in Health, Physical Education and Exercise Science from VCU in 2015. She and husband, Tommy Barrineau, wed in 2020.
Cecilia Blanchard | Assistant Coach
Cecilia Blanchard returned to her alma mater and joined Tim Doyle’s staff as an assistant coach in January of 2023.
Blanchard, nee Aragao, spent the 2022 campaign as an assistant coach at Buffalo, where she helped the Bulls to a 19-win season and the first MAC semifinal appearance in program history. UB also received a bid to the National Invitational Volleyball Championship (NIVC), the school's first postseason berth. Working closely with Buffalo's setters, Blanchard helped spur the development of First Team All-MAC selection Mandy Leigh. She also spearheaded the Bulls' international recruiting efforts, which produced several signings during her season on staff.
Previously, Blanchard served as a graduate assistant for VCU during the 2021 season and aided an 18-win campaign. Her efforts with setter Katrina Davis helped the freshman garner an All-Atlantic 10 Conference Second Team honor in her first collegiate season. That year, Blanchard also was named a recipient of the AVCA’s Diversity Award.
A native of Recife, Brazil, Blanchard played professionally in the First League of Slovenia, France and Switzerland. She led Calcit Kamnik (Slovenia) to its first CEV Champions League appearance in 2015 and was named the top setter of the Slovenian Cup.
Following her professional playing career, Blanchard served as an assistant coach at Fullerton Community College in California for both the indoor and beach volleyball programs, where she won an Orange Empire Conference beach championship in 2021.
A four-year starter at setter, Blanchard ranks third all-time at VCU in assists (3,932), fourth in assists per set (9.71) and seventh in blocks (370). Blanchard was named First Team All-Atlantic 10 Conference and VaSID All-State Second Team in 2014 after she averaged 9.83 assists and 0.88 blocks per set. As a freshman, she helped steer the Rams to the CAA Championship Match, and was named to the league’s All-Tournament and All-Rookie Teams, as well as VaSID All-State Second Team. The Rams posted an 85-44 record during her career.
Blanchard earned her Bachelor of Science in Health Education from VCU in 2015. She is married to former VCU Baseball standout pitcher Matt Blanchard, who helped the Rams to a 2015 NCAA Regional Championship and Atlantic 10 Conference title.