Montana Western Volleyball Hires Payton Spoja as Assistant Coach

DILLON, Mont. – UMW Volleyball has strengthened its coaching staff with the addition of Payton Spoja as an assistant coach, head coach Katie Lovett announced Monday.

"We are really excited about Payton joining our staff," Lovett said. "She had a great playing career at multiple levels, has connections within Montana and the surrounding region, and has a solid coaching foundation under the guidance of great coaches at her previous university."

Spoja joins the Bulldogs after two seasons at NCAA DII member Concordia Irvine.

In her time with the Golden Eagles, she coached one first team all-conference player and four second team all-conference athletes.

Spoja was a collegiate volleyball player who finished her career at the University of Saint Katherine (2021-22).

Prior to Saint Katherine, she had a lot of success and the College of Southern Idaho (2018-19). She led the team to the NJCAA DI National Title in 2018 and was named to the NJCAA DI National and Regional All-Tournament Teams.

She began her collegiate athletic career at the University of Montana, where she played for one season (2017).

Born in Bozeman, Spoja has deep Montana roots. She is a fifth-generation Montanan on her mother's side and sixth-generation on her father's. She grew up in Boise, Idaho and returned to Montana during high school. Her dad and brother both played basketball for the University of Montana.