University of North Alabama head volleyball coach Tristan Johnson announced the addition of Karly Berkland as an assistant coach on March 19, 2026.
Berkland brings five years of Division I playing experience and over two years of coaching experience to North Alabama. The Williamsburg, Iowa native was a defensive specialist/libero for both the University of Houston and the University of Connecticut from 2019-23.
She began her college career with Houston, playing with the Cougars for the 2019 and 2020 seasons. Berkland totaled 277 digs, 37 assists and 25 service aces in 43 matches played. She also helped lead the Cougars to the 2020 American Athletic Conference regular-season championship.
Berkland spent her final three seasons as the starting libero for UConn from 2021-23. She tallied 1,376 digs in 95 career matches – ranking fifth in program history in digs. Berkland was an influential piece in the Huskies' 2021 National Invitational Volleyball Tournament run, helping lead UConn to three wins and an appearance in the Final Four. Berkland had additional career totals of 369 assists and 93 services aces while with the Huskies.
While at UConn, she had her first coaching experience as the head coach of the Husky Volleyball Club from Dec. 2021 – June 2022. Her second stint of coaching experience came as a graduate assistant for the South Dakota State volleyball team for the 2024 and 2025 seasons.
With the Jackrabbits, she helped coach the team to a 50-8 combined record along with two consecutive regular-season championships in the Summit League. The Jackrabbits also made two-straight NCAA Tournament First Round appearances in her two seasons. Berkland additionally gained coaching experience while at South Dakota State as the head coach for Brookings Volleyball Club from Dec. 2024 – July 2025.
She received her Bachelor's degree in 2023 from UConn in Sport Administration. She is currently working on her Master's in Sport and Recreational Management from South Dakota State.
