DENVER — MSU Denver volleyball head coach Stacie Meisner officially announced the additions of Alexis Benda and Clarence Hughes to the Roadrunners coaching staff, completing her inaugural staff ahead of the 2026 season.
Benda joins the program as an assistant coach after previously serving as a graduate assistant at Colorado Christian University, where she assisted with NCAA Division II practices, scouting reports, recruiting coordination and position-specific development.
The addition also marks a return to MSU Denver for Benda, who competed for the Roadrunners from 2017-2022 and established herself as one of the program's most respected leaders during her collegiate career.
A four-year team captain, Benda earned First Team All-RMAC honors in 2021 while also collecting multiple program awards, including the Gary Mac Award, Rowdy Award and CADRE Award. She was also named to the Athletic Director's Honor Roll throughout her collegiate career.
Following her playing career, Benda gained additional coaching experience as a volunteer assistant with the Roadrunners during the 2022-23 season before moving into club volleyball coaching and private instruction with VC Denver.
In addition to her coaching experience, Benda currently serves as a Special Education Learning Specialist and Department Chair at Alameda International Jr./Sr. High School in Lakewood, Colorado.
Hughes brings extensive volleyball operations, event management and club coaching experience to the Roadrunners staff. Currently serving as Manager of Rocky Mountain Region Events for USA Volleyball, Hughes oversees tournament scheduling, facility coordination and communications for regional events across Colorado. He also serves as the varsity head coach at Banning Lewis Preparatory Academy in Colorado Springs, where he manages all aspects of the program, including travel coordination, scouting, recruiting assistance, budgeting and athlete development.
At the club level, Hughes has coached with Elevation Volleyball Club, The EDGE Volleyball Club and Team Velocity Volleyball Club, working with both boys and girls programs across multiple age divisions.
Prior to his current role with the Rocky Mountain Region, Hughes spent several years working with USA Volleyball's national events department in Colorado Springs, helping oversee logistics and operations for major championship events involving thousands of athletes and attendees.
Hughes also brings a diverse sports and entertainment background that includes professional experience with organizations such as the Los Angeles Lakers, Los Angeles Clippers, Los Angeles Kings, LA Galaxy and Los Angeles Sparks.
The additions of Benda and Hughes finalize Meisner's first coaching staff as the Roadrunners prepare for the upcoming 2026 season.
