Harrogate, TN – Lincoln Memorial University announced on Thursday, June 11^th the hiring of Peyton McDaniel as the new head women's volleyball coach. McDaniel, a 2018 graduate of LMU, will become the ninth coach in Lady Railsplitters history.

"We are absolutely thrilled to welcome Peyton McDaniel to our athletic family as the next leader of our women's volleyball program", said Athletic Director Travis Muncy.  "Throughout this search, Peyton stood out as a dynamic leader who possesses not only an exceptional tactical mind for the game, but a profound commitment to the holistic development of student-athletes.  Her energy, vision, and proven track record make her the perfect fit to elevate out volleyball program to new heights.  I am confident that under her leadership, our student athletes will excel on the court, in the classroom, and in the community.  The future of our volleyball program is incredibly bright, and we are excited for our fans to welcome Coach McDaniel."

McDaniel comes back to Harrogate after coaching for three seasons at NJCCA Cleveland State.  She inherited a Cougar team that had 27 straight conference losses and led them to a conference win within their first five matches.  Last season, the Cougars completed the turnaround and went 23-4 overall and an undefeated 12-0 conference record.  It was Cleveland State's first Tennessee Community College Athletic Association (TCCAA) championship which led the Cougars to their first NJCAA regional tournament appearance in program history.

"Returning to LMU feels like coming home", stated McDaniel.  "Some of the most impactful year of my life were spent here as a student-athlete, and the experiences and relationships I gained through this program helped shape the person and coach I am today.  To have the opportunity to come back and lead the program that gave me so much is truly special.  LMU has always been more than a school to me, it is a community that invested in my growth and challenged me to become my best.  This is truly a full-circle moment for me and I couldn't be more excited to be back at LMU."

During McDaniel's time at Cleveland State, she coached three student athletes to first team All-TCCAA, four to second team All-TCCAA, and the 2025 TJCAA Freshman of the Year. 

Before her time at Cleveland State, McDaniel spent time at the high school level coaching at Boyd-Buchanan School in Chattanooga, TN and Bearden High School in Knoxville, TN. 

During her playing career at Lincoln Memorial, McDaniel played in 73 matches and was a part of four teams that went a combined 70-54 highlighted by the 2016 season in which the Lady Railsplitters went 25-9 and made it to the NCAA Southeast Regional.  The 25 wins that season is still the most wins in a season in LMU history. 

Away from the court, McDaniel is also a member of the United State Air Force Reserve as an Air Transportation Logistics Specialist.  During her time with the Reserve, she has led ramp operations overseeing aircraft logistics and mission execution, managed passenger and cargo operations, and was named TBR 2025 Veteran of the Year.