Ready to begin her ninth season (no season was held in 2020) as the Cerritos College volleyball coach, Kari Hemmerling is looking to return to the postseason, as her Falcons qualified for the Southern California Regional Playoffs for the first time in 14 years in 2023. They finished in a tie for fifth place in the highly competitive South Coast Conference and secured the #18-seed. During the 2023 year, the team went 13-9 on the year and opened the season with five consecutive three-game sweeps.

Hemmerling is holding a position held by just four other people in the history of the program. She took over for Teresa Velazquez-Ortega, who spent 16 seasons leading the Falcons. Hemmerling has compiled a combined 51-108 (.321) through her first seven competed seasons.

In her first coaching assignment, Hemmerling spent the 2013 and 2015 seasons as an assistant coach at Irvine Valley College, which was coached by her father, Tom Pestolesi, who is now a member of the Falcons staff. Hemmerling has also served as the head beach volleyball coach at Concordia University (2014-15), and served as the head coach for the 949 Athletics club volleyball team, and led them to consecutive gold medals in the Boys Open Championship in the 15’s division (2015) and 16’s division (2016). Hemmerling is a member of the SCVA and USA Volleyball associations.

As a player, Hemmerling was a four-year starter at UC Irvine, where she was a two-time AVCA All-American, three-time AVCA West Region choice and four-time All-Big West selection. During her time with the Anteaters, Hemmerling concluded her career ranked second in the program’s history in kills (1,602) and digs (1,491). She received many awards during her playing days, including being named UCI’s Female of the Year, AVCA National Player of the Week, Big West Player of the Week, while leading the team in kills four years in a row. Hemmerling was named the Most Valuable Player in numerous tournaments, while she was selected the AVCA West Region Freshman of the Year and Big West Conference Freshman of the Year.

While playing beach volleyball for UC Irvine, she was selected as a member of the USA Volleyball National Beach Training Team in 2008 and also competed in the World University Beach Volleyball Championships as a member of Team USA. Hemmerling played one season of professional volleyball in Switzerland as a member of the VMS (Volley Franches Montagnes), where they were Swiss Cup Finalists and won the CEV Cup Championship.

While prepping at Edison High in Huntington Beach, Hemmerling was named the Most Valuable Player of the Orange County All-State Game after her senior season and left high school with school records in career kills (1,118), digs (1,048) and service aces (232). She was a two-time All-CIF Southern Section 1st Team selection and led Edison to a CIF Championship in her junior season.

Hemmerling, 35, earned her Bachelor’s degree in Sociology with a minor in Education from UC Irvine in 2011 and her Master’s degree from Concordia University in Coaching and Athletic Administration in 2013. She and her husband Brad Hemmerling were married in August, 2017, and have two daughters – Drew, who was born in September, 2018 and welcomed second daughter, Abby on May 8, 2020.