Piedmont University Athletics

View Tatum's Year-by-Year Coaching Record (2025-Present)

Tatum's Head Coaching Record by School (2025-Present) School Name Seasons Record Win % Piedmont (2025-Present) 1 7-25 .219

Team Accolades During Overall Piedmont Tenure ('25) 4 Conference Wins in '25 1 Team Academic Award (AVCA)

Individual Accolades During Overall Piedmont Tenure ('25) 1 Conference Player of the Year 1 All-Conference Selections 3 Defensive Players of the Week (CCS) 4 Academic All-District Selections (CSC/CoSIDA)

Kat Tatum was hired to lead volleyball at Piedmont as the new Head Coach prior to the 2025 season becoming the 7th head coach since the program began in 1997.  

As a native of the Peach State herself, Tatum brought more than a decade of coaching experience with her to Demorest across both the elite club level as well as the college game.  

Known for her resilience, leadership, and competitive edge, Tatum returns to her home state with a mission to elevate Piedmont Volleyball. She is motivated to lead the Lions with championship-caliber energy and a passion for player development.

Tatum's return to Georgia brings with it a coaching philosophy rooted in, as she puts it, "a human first mentality with a passion to leave this place better than we found it."

"We're building a culture rooted in relentless work ethic, genuine relationships, and an elite sisterhood that will help Piedmont volleyball meet the standard of where passion meets purpose on the court, in the classroom, and in life," declared Tatum upon taking over at Piedmont.  

Education, Licenses, Certifications, Professional Memberships
Columbus State, 2017 (BA)
USA Volleyball Certified Coach
SafeSport Certified
IMPACT Certified
Active member of USA Volleyball, since 2014
Active member of Southern Region Volleyball Association
Active member of Lone Star Region Volleyball Association
Active member of the American Volleyball Coaches Association

Inside the Biography
- Taking over the Piedmont volleyball program in May of 2025 with no time left to bring in recruits for the 2025 season, Tatum has made it clear in no time that she's one of the best recruiters in the South if not the country turning a roster of only five eligible returners into a small army with 20 new players set to make their debut in Cave Arena for the 2026 season.

Beyond Piedmont

Assistant Coach at St. Thomas Houston (2024-2025)
Instrumental in the Development of Future All-Americans Alexis Bodunrin and Carly Lange
15 Wins on the season including 7 in conference play
Made the program's first-ever SCAC Championship Tournament Semifinals
3 All-Conference Performers

~ Turning Adversity into Advantage ~

As a local product of nearby Buford High School where Tatum lettered all four years in volleyball, Kat was well known throughout her community early on after being named an All-Gwinnett County Team selection for her play on the court.  

Having also lettered in basketball, Tatum grew up in Flowery Branch and quickly made a name for herself helping her Buford volleyball team to back-to-back deep runs in the High School State Championship Tournament, first with a Sweet 16 run in 2011 before following that up with a Super Six appearance in 2012.  

Also a team captain, Tatum was a defensive force at the net setting the school record in total blocks, but from an early age, it became clear that the young athlete was going to have to go on the attack as she dealt with a congenital bone disorder called Trevor’s Disease in her ankle.

Requiring multiple surgeries and care at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, Tatum took what could have been a debilitating setback to most younger athletes and used her passion for sport to eventually be named CHOA’s Comeback Athlete of the Year and earn a scholarship to Columbus State University in Georgia.   

~ Early Exit from Playing Career Sparks Interest in Coaching ~

Though Tatum posted an incredible comeback from her injury and achieved her dream of playing volleyball in college, the setback would eventually prove career-ending. 

The Flowery Branch native arrived in Columbus ready to contribute starting 18 of 26 games played that season (2013) leading her team in blocks on four occasions including a career-high six blocks on the road vs. Georgia College.  

On the season, Tatum would collect 43 blocks over 82 sets played and knock down a season-best seven kills against Montevallo.  

Overall, Tatum spent two seasons with the Cougars before deciding to medically retire, a decision which may have seemed at the time like the closing of a chapter, but really was the decisive step in pursuing what would become her life’s passion - a career in coaching volleyball.  

~ No Stranger to the Club Volleyball Scene ~

After retiring from her collegiate playing career, Tatum began coaching right in Columbus with COLAVOL before moving back to Atlanta to kick start her coaching career in the club scene.

Tatum has coached with nationally recognized programs including A5 Volleyball Club, ranked the #1 volleyball club in the country and one of Atlanta’s most recognizable travel volleyball names.

Then came a move to the Lone Star State as Tatum relocated to the Houston area in the fall of 2021.  With her A5 days now behind her, Tatum stayed in the spotlight working for the highly recognizable Absolute Volleyball Academy in Webster, a program that produced more than 50 collegiate commitments during her tenure.  

Also working with the Texas Tornados in Cypress during her time out west, Tatum turned her coaching sights on the college game.  

~ Learning in the Lonestar State ~

Firmly established as one of the premier club coaches on the scene working with teams that qualified for nationals and sent many players into the collegiate ranks, Tatum entered the college coaching community in 2022 becoming the Assistant Volleyball Coach at the University of St. Thomas in Houston.  

A Division III volleyball program, St. Thomas gave the Georgia-native an opportunity to work with some of the best coaches in the country playing a pivotal role in the program’s 2024 SCAC Semifinal run, the first such showing in program history. 

Tatum’s impact on the program extended beyond just her time with the program as she helped to develop two Celts that would go on to earn All-American honors in their junior seasons the year after Tatum’s Texas departure for Demorest to take over at Piedmont.  

~ Becoming a Familiar Face on the Camp Circuit Across the Country ~

Kat’s recognizable demeanor has helped her become a familiar face on the summer camp circuit as she worked volleyball camps at Division I institutions like Rice University and Louisiana State University (LSU) out of the SEC.  

Tatum is also the founder of CKTV or Coach Kat Tatum Volleyball which is a mentorship program dedicated to athlete development, empowerment, and excellence.  

Through her CKTV, Tatum provides expert coaching content, training programs, and resources for players at all levels. 

The business-savvy marketing major utilizes digital platforms to expand outreach, connect with aspiring athletes, and foster a support volleyball community.  

~ Paying It Forward ~

In addition to her work on the circuit, Tatum has been a consistent volunteer in her community no matter where she made her home serving with Relay for Life, the American Cancer Society, St. Jude Hospital, Alzheimer’s Association, the Humane Society, and the Muscular Dystrophy Association.  

Of course Tatum has also volunteered with Children’s Healthcare in Atlanta of course with her connection to the hospital the help she received as a young athlete herself.

Last updated 6/26