KEARNEY, Neb. — Kearney Catholic is hiring a current assistant coach to take over its storied volleyball program.

The school announced Tuesday that it appointed Robbie Jochum as the head volleyball coach for the Stars. Jochum replaces Kris Conner, who is leaving to become the coach at Riverside High School near her hometown. Conner started as head coach in 1991 and won four state championships with Kearney Catholic.

Jochum served as an assistant coach under Conner for the past three seasons. Over that stretch, the Stars went 86-14 in the regular season and qualified for the state tournament each year.

“We were impressed with his knowledge for the sport, his passion for coaching and more importantly, his concern for our student athletes,” Kearney Catholic administrators Matt Rogers and Rick Petri said in a statement. “We are excited to have Robbie take over the Star volleyball program and we look for their continued success both on and off the court.”

Jochum is a 2011 graduate of Kearney Catholic and is married to Katelynn. They have one son, Bennett.

“I am thrilled to have the opportunity to lead such a prestigious program and want to extend my deepest gratitude to Mr. Petri and Mr. Rogers for their support. I would also like to thank Coach Conner for her invaluable mentorship and whose foundation I am to build upon.” Jochum said. “I am excited to continue to work with this talented group of young women. My goal is to help our volleyball players reach their full potential both on and off the court. Together we will strive for excellence and build a culture of continued success.”