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Heather Jo Eckels joins Lady Black Bears as new Head Coach

Pennsylvania Highlands Community College is happy to announce that Heather Jo Eckels will join the Lady Black Bears as the Head Coach of the women’s volleyball team.

Eckels graduated from Altoona Area High School in 1995, then went on to obtain her Bachelor of Arts degree from Indiana University of Pennsylvania in Government and Public Service with an interdisciplinary minor in Management. After a year of working for the Blair County District Attorney’s Office as a Victim/Witness Advocate, Eckels again attended the Indiana University of Pennsylvania where she earned her Master of Arts degree in History.

Eckels has been an Instructor of history at Penn State Altoona for the past five years and is also employed by the Altoona Area School District as a Pennsylvania Literacy Corps Coordinator. In addition, Eckels works as a PIAA official for both volleyball and softball.

She began her collegiate career at Penn State Altoona where she played volleyball for two seasons. Eckels served as the Penn State Altoona Assistant Women’s Volleyball Coach during the 2008, 2009 and 2010 seasons.