| Kayla Banwarth | |
| Birth Date: | 21 January 1989 |
| Birth Place: | Dubuque, Iowa, U.S. |
| Player Team1: | Nebraska |
| Player Years1: | 2007–2010 |
| Player Team2: | Team USA |
| Player Years2: | 2011–2016 |
| Player Positions: | Libero |
| Coach Team1: | Pepperdine (volunteer asst.) |
| Coach Years1: | 2015–2016 |
| Coach Team2: | Nebraska (asst.) |
| Coach Years2: | 2017–2019 |
| Coach Years3: | 2020–2022 |
| Overall Record: | 29-38 |
Kayla Banwarth (born January 21, 1989) is an American former volleyball player and coach. She played as a libero for the United States women's national volleyball team. Banwarth won gold with the national team at the 2014 World Championship, and bronze at the 2015 World Cup and 2016 Rio Olympic Games.[1]
Banwarth was born in Dubuque, Iowa and attended high school at Wahlert Catholic High School. Her team won three state titles and Banwarth graduated with 1,155 kills, 1,093 digs, and 364 aces. She also set school records for digs and aces. Banwarth was named the Iowa Gatorade Player of the Year in 2006.
She played college volleyball at University of Nebraska.[2]
Banwarth was part of the USA national team that won the 2014 World Championship gold medal when the team defeated China 3–1 in the final match.[3] [4]
Banwarth retired after the 2016 Rio Olympics and took on a coaching role at her former college, the University of Nebraska, helping the women's volleyball team. She then went on to become the head coach for the Ole Miss starting in the fall of 2020. After a 1-19 COVID-19 shortened first year, in her second season she led the team to their first NCAA tournament appearance in 11 years and their first 20-win (21-9) season in 8 years. In the middle of the 2022 season, Banwarth was placed on leave and eventually she and the university mutually agreed to part ways.[5]