Janai Tillman serves as an assistant coach for the Winston-Salem State University volleyball program, bringing a strong background in both collegiate athletics and club-level coaching. A former collegiate volleyball player, Tillman began her career at the College of Southern Nevada (CSN), where she earned Honorable Mention honors and served as a two-year team captain. She later continued her academic and athletic career at Winston-Salem State University, where she was named to the College Sports Communicators (CSC) All-District Team and served as team captain during her senior year.
Tillman graduated from Winston-Salem State with a bachelor’s degree in psychology, earning an impressive 3.9 GPA. Following her graduation, she had the opportunity to represent Team HBCU in the Ditsala Cup in Botswana, Africa, competing against teams from across the continent. Her team captured the Ditsala Championship, earning a gold medal and gaining valuable international playing experience. During the trip, Tillman and her teammates also visited local schools in Botswana and Zambia, where they led volleyball clinics and taught young athletes the fundamentals of the game. The experience was part of a broader initiative to help grow the sport of volleyball internationally and make a meaningful impact in local communities.
Tillman has built a strong coaching foundation through her experience at the club level. She spent two years as a coach with Dig This Volleyball Club in Las Vegas, Nevada, and one year with Triad Elite Volleyball Club in High Point, North Carolina. In these roles, she worked with athletes ages 8–18, focusing on skill development, teamwork, and confidence-building in competitive environments.
Tillman joined the Winston-Salem State volleyball staff as an assistant coach in the fall of the 2025-2026 season, where she played a key role in helping Coach Brown lead the team to a Southern Division Conference Championship. In addition to her collegiate coaching role, Tillman also contributed at the regional level as a coach for the USA Volleyball Carolina Region National Training Development Program (NTDP) camp, helping develop high-level athletes across the region
