After serving as interim head coach during the 2021 season, Nicole Vargas Polster was named head coach of the Cal State Fullerton women's volleyball team prior to the 2022 campaign. The 2023-24 academic year marks her fifth with the program and third in the head coach role.

 

In her second season as head coach in 2022, Polster led the Titan program to its most regular season wins since the 2012 campaign, as the team went 13-15 overall. She coached three All-Big West Conference selections in 2022, with Bianca Martinez being named to the All-Freshman Team and Elizabeth Schuster and Danielle Jefferies earning Big West Honorable Mention.

Polster made an instant impact on the program in her first year at the helm. During the 2021 season the Titans finished 12-15, and 9-11 in conference, tied with the 2019 team for their best record over the past nine seasons. Under her guidance, the team also posted the most conference wins since the 2012 season. Also under her tutalage, Julia Crawford and Elizabeth Schuster earned Big West Honorable Mention.

 

She joined the Cal State Fullerton coaching staff in the spring of 2019 after spending the previous six seasons coaching at Pacific. The 2020-21 academic year marks her second year in her role with the program.

 

Polster's presence made an immediate impact on the program. In her first year, the squad had a huge turnaround season, finishing the year with a 12-15 overall record, going 4-12 in conference. The 12 total wins is the most for the program since 2012 while the four conference victories is the most since 2013. The team doubled their win total from the previous year and Co-Big West Coach of the Year Ashley Preston guided the team to a Top 25 national ranking with 17.44 digs per set.

 

Polster helped guide Julia Crawford to a phenomenal 2019 rookie campaign as she was awarded a spot on the All-Big West First Team and Freshman Team. Her 368 kills and 398.5 total points are the most by a Titan since the 2014 season en route to becoming just the ninth Fullerton player to earn a First Team selection and the first since Kayla Neto in 2012.

 

She also worked with Savahna Costello to help her claim a 2019 Big West Honorable Mention honoree. The 5'5" libero absolutely dominated the conference leaderboards averaging 5.31 digs per set; a number that ranked 13th in the entire NCAA. Her 531 total digs on the year is the sixth most in Titan single-season history as she posted double-digit digs in every match but two this season. Costello currently ranks sixth all-time in the program in total digs for her career with 1,197.

 

Polster, formerly Vargas, was charged primarily with the training and preparation of Pacific's setters as well as taking over other administrative duties for the Tigers.

 

Prior to her joining the Tigers, she spent one season as a volunteer assistant coach at her alma mater, Long Beach State, in 2012. As a four-year starter on the court for the Beach, Polster engineered the 49ers attack from the middle where she posted 4,695 career assists, fourth best in Long Beach State history. Additionally, she proved herself as an all-around talent as she finished her career 10th all-time with 1,018 digs. As a true freshman, Polster guided the 49ers to the first of four NCAA Touranment appearances during her career at Long Beach State. Throughout her career, she earned three postseason All-Big West awards, including a pair of first team honors.

 

After graduating from Long Beach State in 2009, she then spent two years with the USA national team, and then played professionally with Nantes in France.

 

On the sidelines, Polster coached with Golden West in club volleyball, leading the U16 program, and has also worked in instructional camps for over five years. 

 

Her mother, Debbie Green is regarded as one of the greatest American women’s volleyball setters of all time. She was a member of the US National team and won the silver medal at the 1984 Olympics. 

 

Her father, Joe Vargas, is a member of the USA Water Polo Hall of Fame and was part of the 1980 and 1984 US Olympic Water Polo teams. 

 

Nicole resides in Long Beach with her husband, Jim Polster, and their daughter, Poppy.