Sarah Katz Yiljep left American University in March of 2025.
Former American University volleyball standout Sarah Katz Yiljep, a 2016 and 2017 graduate of AU, joined the coaching staff full-time in 2017. Katz Yiljep spent six seasons coaching under her former mentor, the legendary Barry Goldberg, and completed her seventh season in 2023. Following another successful campaign, Katz Yiljep was promoted to the role of Associate Head Coach.
In 2023, American won seven of its final eight regular season matches before winning another two in the Patriot League Tournament and advancing to the title match at Colgate. Katz Yiljep helped coach 2023 Patriot League Player of the Year and AVAC Honorable Mention All-American Zeynep Uzen, as well as 2023 Patriot League Setter of the Year Esma Sipahi.
Katz Yiljep was a volunteer assistant for one year before moving into a full-time assistant coach role, and was promoted to assistant coach/recruiting coordinator in 2019. She played for AU from 2012-15 and graduated with a bachelor's degree in health promotion in 2016. She went on to earn her master's degree in health promotion management from AU in 2017.
As a player and coach, Katz Yiljep has been involved with seven Patriot League Championship teams. She played in 123 matches as an Eagle, finishing her career with 602 kills, 408 digs and 122 blocks in four seasons. She posted a career-high 18 kills and 12 digs in a match against Princeton in her junior season. She also had 16 kills in a match against No. 8 Florida State in 2014. Her career-best 18 digs came in a road victory at Bucknell in 2015. The Eagles were 109-27 overall during Katz's playing career, winning three Patriot League Championships and advancing to the NCAA Sweet Sixteen in 2013. That year, AU defeated Georgia and No. 14 Duke in the NCAA Tournament to reach the regional semifinals, In 2015, the team beat No. 22 Kentucky to advance to the NCAA Second Round.
In March, 2016, Katz was honored as American University's senior female student-athlete of the year with the department's highest grade-point average across all sports. She finished with a 3.95 GPA in health promotion and a minor in marketing. She was a two-time Academic All-Patriot League selection and twice was voted to the Academic All-District Team by the College Sports Information Directors of America.
Katz Yiljep previously coached with Metro Volleyball Club in D.C. for the 15s and 17s age groups. She also worked as a senior administrative assistant in the AU Department of Health Studies, all while working toward her masters in health promotion management.
Katz Yiljep is a native of Louisville, Ky., and lives in D.C. with her husband, Yilret Yiljep, an alum of AU men's basketball. The two have a son, Wale, born in January, 2023, and a daughter, Ravely, born in November, 2024.
