The most decorated volleyball coach in Whitefish High School history is returning to lead the Lady Bulldogs once again.

Jackie Fuller has been hired as the team’s head coach, Whitefish athletic director Aric Harris told the Pilot today. The school board will vote on the hiring at their next meeting, which is expected to be a mere formality.

Harris called Fuller’s return a “huge” boost for Bulldog athletics.

“She brings commitment, hard work, dedication and a family environment,” Harris said. “We will feel a ripple effect in all our programs from this hire. This is huge.”

Fuller coached the Lady Bulldogs from 1994 to 2010. Under her guidance the team won five state titles in six seasons.

She boasts a career a 0.762 winning percentage, six Coach of the Year awards, seven Northwest A divisional championships, 13 trips to the Class A state tourney and a spot in the Montana Coaches Hall of Fame.

Fuller said the timing is right for her return to the bench.

“I still have that passion to be around kids and make a difference in their lives,” Fuller said. “I still have that passion burning inside me to make a positive impact.”

“The most important thing is that I have the support of my family. My husband said it was a no-brainer. My daughter will be a senior and she said ‘Mom, go for it.’”

Fuller resigned as head coach in 2011 after she was hired to serve as both the high school’s assistant principal and athletic director. The school district pushed for the resignation, saying coaching would be too much of a time commitment on top of her other duties.

“I didn’t want to step away,” Fuller said. “I believed I could do all three.”

Harris was later hired as athletic director, allowing Fuller to solely focus on her assistant principal duties.

When the volleyball vacancy opened in November after coach Sarah Scott resigned, Fuller wasted little time in submitting an application.

“She came to me two days later and told me she was going to apply,” Harris said. “I was surprised by her interest.”

The district formed a committee and went through an intense hiring process that included a coaching segment, interview and essay question. Harris said Fuller was the obvious choice of all final candidates.

"Her resume speaks for itself," he said "When we had her work with the kids, it was eye opening."

Fuller commended Scott’s work as coach and says the volleyball program has the foundation to succeed.

“Sarah did a phenomenal job,” she said. “She built the talent and the girls have the ability to play the game.”

Fuller says she stepped back from the program after her resignation and that she has a lot of work to do to get back up to speed.

“I wasn’t around much,” she said. “I haven’t run any camps or youth programs. I’m starting over again. I have a lot of work and studying to do."

Fuller already is in the process of finding assistant coaches and plans to meet with the team on Friday.

“I’ll tell the girls we’re going to work hard and with that will come success.”