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Club Director & National Team Head Coach
Interscholastic Coaching Experience
Cynthia Dimapan serves as the Head Varsity Volleyball Coach at Cardinal Newman School in Columbia, South Carolina. Since taking the helm, she has built one of the state’s most successful programs. Under her leadership, the Cardinals have earned:
2025 SCISA 4A State Championship Title (video)
2024 SCISA 4A State Championship Title (video)
2023 SCISA 4A State Championship Title
2022 SCISA 4A State Championship Title
2021 SCISA 3A State Championship Runner-Up
2019 SCISA 3A State Championship Runner-Up
Dimapan has guided her teams to ten consecutive undefeated region championships (2016–2025). Her players have continued their athletic careers at the collegiate level, signing or committing to institutions including: University of South Carolina, Temple University, University of Delaware, United States Military Academy at West Point, Wentworth Institute of Technology, Virginia State University, Converse University, Johnson & Wales University, and Norfolk State University.
Dimapan has been named SCISA Region I Coach of the Year and SCISA North/South All-Star Coach in 2023, 2021, 2020, and 2019. Prior to joining Cardinal Newman, Dimapan coached in Guam, Texas, and across South Carolina—including EL Wright, Spring Valley, Lexington, and AC Flora—where she accumulated more than 30 school, district, and region titles.
One of her favorite coaching memories is a Cinderella story of taking a 1-7 down and out 7th-grade program in Texas, and turning them around in just one season. They won the El Paso Independent School District Championship, and later attended the Middle School City Championships where the team placed 2nd out of the top 36 qualifying teams.
Director Experience
Dimapan began her club coaching career with SC Juniors in its inaugural year, 2002, when the program consisted of only two teams practicing in a small church gym. Through early success and community growth, the club soon expanded to include multiple teams training across Columbia and Lexington.
By 2004, SC Juniors had moved into Northeast Columbia, establishing a strong presence in the Midlands volleyball community. After being named Club Director in 2006, Dimapan led a strategic merger with USC Gamecock Coaches and Midlands Volleyball Directors, Ben and Nancy Somera.
In 2010, this collaboration officially evolved into SC Midlands Volleyball Club, which under her continued leadership has become one of the largest and most successful clubs in Columbia and across South Carolina. SC Midlands is recognized for athlete development, collegiate placement, and competitive excellence at both the state and national levels.
Club Coaching Experience
Dimapan’s club teams are often top contenders in their age divisions. Teams under her coaching and/or directorship have earned bids to the USA Junior National Championships including: Dallas (2025), Las Vegas (2024), Chicago (2023), Indianapolis (2022), Las Vegas (2021), Dallas (2020), Minneapolis (2017), Indianapolis (2016), Minneapolis (2015), New Orleans (2014), Atlanta (2011), and Reno (2010). Dimapan has lead her teams to state/region championships, numerous national bids, a Sunshine National Qualifier Championship, a Northeast Qualifier Championship (Baltimore), a division championship at nationals, gold finishes at the Big South National Qualifier, and two top five finishes at AAU Nationals.
Notable Athletes Coached
Throughout her career, Dimapan has developed numerous athletes who have advanced to compete at the collegiate and professional levels. Her former players have earned distinctions across NCAA Divisions I–II and professional circuits, representing programs throughout the SEC, ACC, ASUN, SoCon, and Conference Carolinas.
These athletes include:
Victoria Harris – SEC standout at the University of South Carolina
Anna Logan Gillens - Unversity of Delaware standout, US Virgin Islands National Team
Gabby Waden – All-American Honorable Mention, SEC standout at Mississippi State University
Keyairra Stevenson – Former Kennesaw State University outside hitter, ranked second in team kills
Cristina Nazario – Former standout setter, Western Carolina University
Meredith Jones – Conference Player of the Year, Queens University
Maggie Speaks – North Carolina State University, setter and professional volleyball player
Dimapan takes pride in cultivating athletes who not only excel in competition but also embody leadership, discipline, and academic excellence—values that have become trademarks of her coaching philosophy at both the club and school levels.
Playing Experience
With her dad being the men's volleyball coach at her high school, and multiple brothers and cousins playing, Dimapan grew up in a volleyball family. She played for John F. Kennedy High School in Guam and played for ISA Volleyball Club. She traveled to tournaments and camps in Japan, Hawaii, California, as well as various Pacific Islands. Garnering a full academic scholarship to the University of Guam, Dimapan was a member of the Guam National Team that competed in the South Pacific Games in 1999. Dimapan also played on winning teams in various indoor power leagues in Columbia and had some top finishes in outdoor grass tournaments in South Carolina, North Carolina, and Georgia.
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