If you ever get a chance to run into Brian Cremascoli or Kirstine Jensen, they are likely to be laughing about something. Whether it’s about Coach Ray Gooden’s personal towel or reminiscing about their old collegiate practice days, you’re sure to get a hearty laugh and a funny story from NIU’s newest assistant volleyball coaches.

When asked to recount a funny story about his new hires, Gooden didn’t know where to start.

“One story would not do them justice,” said the fourth-year coach. “Every day is an adventure with them. They make coaching volleyball really fun.”

The positive chemistry developed between the trio began years earlier while playing collegiate volleyball. Jensen was a star player on the 1995 Ohio State volleyball team that reached the NCAA Final Four. Ohio State also happened to be Gooden’s alma matter and he regularly participated in practice to help alleviate the tense atmosphere.

“My coach was very strict and regimented,” Jensen said. “Practice was stressful. Ray used to come in and practice with us. He’s kind of a goofball but he loves what he’s doing. I always wanted to be on his side, because I knew we would win and we would have a good time doing it.”

Before he assumed the head coaching job at NIU, Gooden was assistant coach at Loyola-Chicago. While there, he helped coach the Rambler’s all-time leader in career assists. That setter happened to be Brian Cremascoli.

With the departure of former assistants Chrissy Smith and Paul Rappaport following the 2004 season, Gooden was debating who to add onto his staff. At the same time in January, Cremascoli and Jensen were also considering their coaching futures. Within two months of each other, both former players spoke with the fourth-year head coach and decided to return to the Midwest.

“I was extremely lucky,” Gooden said. “Kirstine and I talked about both of our futures and how it could benefit both of us. I’ve known Brian from coaching him back in the day, and I knew he had an interest in coaching. Even though he was in San Diego, he expressed an interest to return to Chicagoland. It was just great timing for both of them.”

After three years as recruiting coordinator for Florida State and two more as an assistant for Ohio University, Jensen said the return to Illinois came at just the right time. As a national recruiter, the Aurora native spent much of her time tracking down highly touted players all over the country.

“I wanted to stay in coaching, but I was so far away from my family and friends,” Jensen said. “NIU is a much more regional school, so we can concentrate on the Midwest. It’s so slimmed down to what I’ve done in the past, and I love it. We don’t have to travel the whole country? Sweet.”

Thanks to his record-setting years at Loyola, Cremascoli specializes in teaching NIU’s newest setter, freshman Jenny Dziubla. Jensen will use her experience to aid the outside hitters and middle blockers.

Compared to his playing days with the Ramblers, Cremascoli doesn’t think much has changed in his relationship with Gooden.

“Ray is very passionate and connects very well,” Cremascoli said. “It’s a good situation all around. It was a real good relationship we had at Loyola. We’re very open door and we work well as a team. He’s so team-oriented in everything he does.”

Gooden was all compliments about his new assistants and still seemed almost amazed he managed to nab both of them at the same time for his program.

“They’re both winners and all they know is being successful,” the Evanston native said. “They have a lot of fun when they do things. Our gym is a lot more fun and has a lot more energy. It just doesn’t seem like work all the time, which is great.”

The towel story is a good analogy for the fun the trio of coaches have with each other.

“All three of us are sweaters and Ray gets super fired up in matches,” Jensen laughed. “He has this black towel that has his name on it that he got from his players. So we’re sitting on the bench the other night, and he wipes his head with it. And I turn around to talk to him and he has black lint all over his entire head.”