From Sunbird Setter to State Champion Coach: The Journey of Bissie DenHartog

Her story is one of Clovis roots, deep family ties, faith, leadership and a whole lot of volleyball.

A Clovis Beginning

Bissie grew up in Clovis, attending Buchanan High School and spending her early years deeply involved in sports and academics. She is the third of four sisters in what she describes as a competitive household.

When asked about growing up in Clovis, she joked, “I grew up in the best city in the world.”

Sports were central to family life. All four sisters were active in different athletics, so their calendar was packed. And at their family game nights, the competition was real. Bissie admitted that board games can get intense, explaining, “If we play anything where you're attacking other people in any way, we take it too personally.” So, these days they often pick cooperative board games. Monopoly is basically banned.

A Family Legacy at Fresno Pacific

Fresno Pacific is part of Bissie’s family story. Her mother is also an alum, played both volleyball and basketball and was inducted into the FPU Sports Hall of Fame.

Bissie shared, “If I remember correctly, she was the first female scholarship athlete at Fresno Pacific.”

That legacy made her own opportunity to play for FPU meaningful. Though she had not originally planned to compete at the collegiate level, a late recruitment conversation during her senior club season changed her path.

“Once it was an option, yeah, it was very exciting,” she said.

Finding Her Voice at FPU

At Fresno Pacific, Bissie earned significant playing time early as a setter and helped lead competitive teams against strong conference opponents. But when asked what she loved most about her college experience, her answer went beyond wins and travel.

“I felt like I grew a lot as an individual,” she said. “I got to kind of stretch my confidence, stretch my leadership.”

She served as a residence assistant and participated in student leadership opportunities while competing at a high level. The faith foundation of the university was especially meaningful as she was figuring out who she was and who she was becoming.

“I was glad that I got to do that at Fresno Pacific and have a safe place to do it where it was biblically founded,” she said.

Her time as a student-athlete shaped her desire to coach and mentor others.

From Business Major to Math Teacher

Though many assume she studied math as an undergraduate, Bissie clarified that her major was business management. She later completed her teaching credential through Fresno Pacific’s intern program and began teaching math.

Math runs in the family. Her mother and sisters have all taught math at various points, and in 2022, Bissie completed a master’s program in math alongside family members.

“We love math all the time,” she said with a laugh. “We just talk about it every time we're together.”

A Calling to Immanuel

After teaching and coaching within Clovis Unified, Bissie was contacted about an opportunity at Immanuel High School. She remembers a pivotal moment during her interview process as she talked with Principal Goertzen.

“We talked for about two hours about Jesus and volleyball, and those are my two favorite things,” she said.

She left that meeting sensing clarity.

“If this gets to be my job and I get to do Jesus and volleyball and math, too, like those are all really fun things and things I enjoy and things that I want to share with other people.”

Back-to-Back State Championships

When Bissie took over the Immanuel program, winning a state championship was not part of a grand master plan.

“State championship was not on my radar,” she said. “My biggest aspiration had always been a valley championship.”

Instead, the team adopted a simple mindset: one game at a time. That steady focus led to a Division 5 state title, followed by another championship the next season after moving up a division.

Reflecting on the first title run, she remembered, “I can remember driving home from it and being like, ‘Wow! How did this happen?’”

The championship rings they earned reflect both excellence and faith. The band includes phrases such as “play with joy” and “fulfilled in Christ,” reinforcing the foundation on which she builds her program.

Coaching with Purpose

Today, Bissie continues teaching math and coaching year-round, investing deeply in her athletes.

“It’s so fun,” she said of this season of life. “I love the relationship that you get to build with athletes as a coach.”

Whether in the classroom or on the court, her goal remains steady: to encourage students and point them toward something greater.

From Clovis to Fresno Pacific to Immanuel, Bissie’s journey reflects what it means to be a Sunbird—grounded in faith, committed to growth and willing to lead wherever called.

Go Sunbirds.