Player of the Year Cole Joins Ballenger, Davis and Witt on AVCA All-Region Team
12/10/2019 9:27:00 AM | Volleyball
Madelyn Cole is Creighton Volleyball's first Regional Player of the Year
OMAHA, Neb. -- Four women from the Creighton Volleyball team were honored by the American Volleyball Coaches Association on Tuesday with All-Region honors, with Madelyn Cole taking home East Region Player of the Year accolades. Cole was joined by Bluejay teammates Megan Ballenger, Keeley Davis and Brittany Witt as First Team All-East Region choices.
Cole, Ballenger and Witt are seniors, while Davis is a freshman.
This year's awards mark the fourth straight year that Creighton has had three or more student-athletes earn First Team All-Region acclaim, putting the Bluejays in elite company with the likes of Texas (9 straight years), Nebraska (8), Stanford (7) and Minnesota (5). Creighton has now had four or more women honored on the First Team three times, with it also happening in 2016 and 2017. Creighton's 15 First Team All-Region selections since 2016 ranks seventh-most nationally, trailing only Stanford (18), Texas (18), Kentucky (18), Minnesota (17), Nebraska (17) and Penn State (16).
Cole earns All-Region acclaim for the second straight season, as the senior from Dallas, Texas, led the BIG EAST with 11.09 assists per set and led the Bluejays with 42 service aces. She started all 31 matches in 2019 and becomes Creighton Volleyball's first student-athlete to be named East Region Player of the Year. The two-time All-BIG EAST selection closed her two-year career at Creighton ranked in the program's top-10 in assists, assists per set, aces and aces per set.
Witt joined Jaali Winters (4x), Kelli Browning (3x), Taryn Kloth (3x) and Lauren Smith (3x) as the fifth three-time All-Region honoree in program history, as she was also a First Team pick in 2017 and an honorable mention choice in 2016. Witt was recognized as BIG EAST Libero of the Year for the second time in the past three years after leading the BIG EAST with 5.09 digs per set. The Omaha native closed her career as Creighton's all-time digs leader with 2,079 and also ranked third with 122 service aces.
Ballenger collected her first All-Region honor following a campaign that saw her average 2.07 kills per set, 0.97 blocks per set and hit a team-leading .297. She was a First Team All-BIG EAST honoree and the Ankeny, Iowa, product ranks in the top-15 in program history in career kills, starts and blocks.
Davis brings home yet another honor as the outside hitter led Creighton with 3.35 kills per set and ranked second with 33 aces. Davis brought home 10 BIG EAST Freshman of the Week honors and was a unanimous selection for BIG EAST Freshman of the Year honors, but redshirt freshmen are not eligible for Freshman of the Year recognition. She joins Winters (in 2015) as CU's second freshman ever to land on the All-Region First Team.
Creighton finished its 2019 season on Saturday with a 25-6 record after winning BIG EAST regular-season title for the sixth straight season and advancing to an eighth consecutive NCAA Tournament.
All-America honors will be announced on December 18 prior to next week's Final Four in Pittsburgh, Pa.
2019 Division I Regional Awards
East Region
| Name | School | Pos. | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Â Megan Ballenger | Â Creighton | Â MB | Â Sr. |
| Â Maria Bellinger | Â Delaware | Â OH | Â Sr. |
| Â Jenna Bridges | Â Hartford | Â MB | Â Sr. |
| Â Payton Caffrey*** | Â Florida State | Â OH | Â Sr. |
| Â Madelyn Cole** | Â Creighton | Â S | Â Sr. |
| Â Keeley Davis | Â Creighton | Â OH | Â RS-Fr. |
| Â Katie Forsythe | Â Loyola Maryland | Â L | Â So. |
| Â Aiko Jones | Â Louisville | Â RS | Â RS-Fr. |
| Â Taryn Knuth** | Â Florida State | Â MB | Â Jr. |
| Â Zoe McBride | Â Morgan State | Â OH | Â So. |
| Â Polina Shemanova** | Â Syracuse | Â OH | Â So. |
| Â Jasmin Sneed** | Â VCU | Â MB | Â Sr. |
| Â Brittany Witt** | Â Creighton | Â L | Â Sr. |
| Â Marrisa Wonders | Â Towson | Â S | Â Sr. |
Honorable Mention
| Name | School | Pos. | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Â Frances Arnautou | Â Yale | Â S | Â Sr. |
| Â Olivia Finckel | Â Towson | Â RS | Â Sr. |
| Â Laura Masciullo | Â Hofstra | Â RS | Â Sr. |
| Â Zeynep Uzen | Â American | Â OH | Â Fr. |
| Â Olivia Wassner | Â American | Â S | Â Jr. |
| Â Lydia Wiers | Â Towson | Â MB | Â Fr. |
Player of the Year:Â Madelyn Cole, Creighton, S, Sr.
Freshman of the Year:Â Lydia Wiers, Towson, MB
Coach of the Year:Â Don Metil, Towson
East Coast Region
| Name | School | Pos. | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Â Lexis Akeo | Â Pittsburgh | Â S | Â Fr. |
| Â Efrosini Alexakou | Â St. John's | Â OH | Â So. |
| Â Allie Barber*** | Â Marquette | Â OH | Â Sr. |
| Â Julia Bergmann | Â Georgia Tech | Â OH | Â Fr. |
| Â Mariana Brambilla | Â Georgia Tech | Â RS | Â So. |
| Â Kodie Comby | Â Georgia Tech | Â MB | Â Sr. |
| Â Sophia Davis | Â James Madison | Â MB | Â Fr. |
| Â Erica Di Maulo | Â St. John's | Â S | Â Sr. |
| Â Martha Konovodoff** | Â Marquette | Â L | Â Jr. |
| Â Kayla Lund** | Â Pittsburgh | Â OH | Â Jr. |
| Â Matti McKissock | Â Georgia Tech | Â S | Â So. |
| Â Chinaza Ndee | Â Pittsburgh | Â RS | Â Jr. |
| Â Layne Van Buskirk** | Â Pittsburgh | Â MB | Â Sr. |
| Â Hope Werch | Â Marquette | Â OH | Â Jr. |
Honorable Mention
| Name | School | Pos. | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Â Manuela Nicolini | Â Fairfield | Â S | Â Sr. |
| Â Charley Niego | Â Notre Dame | Â OH | Â So. |
| Â Zoe Nunez | Â Notre Dame | Â S | Â So. |
| Â Allie Olsonoski | Â Villanova | Â MB | Â Sr. |
| Â M'Kaela White | Â James Madison | Â MB | Â Sr. |
| Â Stephanie Williams | Â Pittsburgh | Â OH | Â RS-Sr. |
Player of the Year:Â Kayla Lund, Pittsburgh, OH, Jr.
Freshman of the Year:Â Julia Bergmann, Georgia Tech, OH
Coach of the Year:Â Michelle Collier, Georgia Tech
Midwest Region
| Name | School | Pos. | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Â Lydia Bartalo | Â Denver | Â OH | Â Jr. |
| Â Anna Blaschko | Â Nebraska-Omaha | Â MB | Â Jr. |
| Â Rachel Giustino | Â Murray State | Â OH | Â Sr. |
| Â Megan Hart | Â New Mexico State | Â MB | Â RS-Sr. |
| Â Candelaria Herrera | Â Iowa State | Â MB | Â Jr. |
| Â Eleanor Holthaus | Â Iowa State | Â RS | Â So. |
| Â Kailey Jo Ince | Â Northern Colorado | Â OH | Â So. |
| Â Elizabeth Juhnke | Â South Dakota | Â OH | Â Fr. |
| Â Madison Jurgens | Â South Dakota | Â S | Â So. |
| Â Rachel Koop** | Â Northern Iowa | Â S | Â RS-Sr. |
| Â Olivia Lohmeier | Â Morehead State | Â OH | Â Jr. |
| Â Piper Mauck | Â Iowa State | Â S | Â Jr. |
| Â Jamie Peterson | Â Dayton | Â OH | Â RS-So. |
| Â Karlie Taylor*** | Â Northern Iowa | Â OH | Â Sr. |
Honorable Mention
| Name | School | Pos. | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Â Rylee Cookerly | Â Valparaiso | Â L | Â Jr. |
| Â Katelyn Evans | Â West Virginia | Â OH | Â Sr. |
| Â Kathleen Reilly | Â Western Michigan | Â L | Â Sr. |
| Â Daisy Schultz | Â Northern Colorado | Â S | Â Jr. |
| Â Samantha Slaughter | Â South Dakota | Â OH | Â Jr. |
| Â Kathryn Wood | Â La Salle | Â S | Â Sr. |
Player of the Year:Â Jamie Peterson, Dayton, OH, RS-So.
Freshman of the Year:Â Elizabeth Juhnke, South Dakota, OH
Coach of the Year:Â Bobbi Petersen, Northern Iowa
North Region
| Name | School | Pos. | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Â Nicklin Hames | Â Nebraska | Â S | Â So. |
| Â Alexis Hart**** | Â Minnesota | Â OH | Â Sr. |
| Â Paige Jones | Â Michigan | Â OH | Â So. |
| Â Madi Kubik | Â Nebraska | Â OH | Â Fr. |
| Â CC McGraw | Â Minnesota | Â L | Â So. |
| Â Katie Myers | Â Maryland | Â MB | Â RS-So. |
| Â Regan Pittman** | Â Minnesota | Â MB | Â RS-Jr. |
| Â Stephanie Samedy*** | Â Minnesota | Â RS | Â Jr. |
| Â Lauren Stivrins** | Â Nebraska | Â MB | Â Jr. |
| Â Lexi Sun** | Â Nebraska | Â OH | Â Jr. |
| Â Temi Thomas-Ailara | Â Northwestern | Â OH | Â Fr. |
| Â Jordan Thompson*** | Â Cincinnati | Â OH | Â RS-Sr. |
| Â MacKenzie Welsh | Â Michigan | Â S | Â Sr. |
| Â Taylor Wolf | Â Wisconsin-Green Bay | Â RS | Â Jr. |
Honorable Mention
| Name | School | Pos. | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Â Cori Crocker | Â Michigan | Â MB | Â RS-Sr. |
| Â Taylor Horsfall | Â Tulsa | Â L | Â Sr. |
| Â Stef Jankiewicz | Â Illinois State | Â S | Â Jr. |
| Â Maria Mallon | Â Cincinnati | Â OH | Â So. |
| Â Taylor Morgan | Â Minnesota | Â MB | Â RS-Sr. |
| Â Maddie Yoss | Â Wisconsin-Green Bay | Â S | Â Sr. |
Player of the Year:Â Jordan Thompson, Cincinnati, OH, RS-Sr.
Freshman of the Year:Â Madi Kubik, Nebraska, OH
Coach of the Year:Â Hugh McCutcheon, Minnesota
Northeast Region
| Name | School | Pos. | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Â Gabby Blossom | Â Penn State | Â S | Â So. |
| Â Grace Cleveland | Â Purdue | Â RS | Â So. |
| Â Molly Haggerty** | Â Wisconsin | Â OH | Â RS-Jr. |
| Â Sydney Hilley** | Â Wisconsin | Â S | Â Jr. |
| Â Kaitlyn Hord** | Â Penn State | Â MB | Â So. |
| Â Chichi Ikwuazom | Â Columbia | Â MB | Â Sr. |
| Â Tia Jimerson | Â Ohio | Â MB | Â Jr. |
| Â Grace Loberg | Â Wisconsin | Â OH | Â Jr. |
| Â Blake Mohler** | Â Purdue | Â MB | Â RS-Sr. |
| Â Caitlyn Newton | Â Purdue | Â OH | Â Jr. |
| Â Jonni Parker** | Â Penn State | Â RS | Â So. |
| Â Jacqueline Quade** | Â Illinois | Â OH | Â Sr. |
| Â Dana Rettke*** | Â Wisconsin | Â MB | Â Jr. |
| Â Kendall White*** | Â Penn State | Â L | Â Sr. |
Honorable Mention
| Name | School | Pos. | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Â Anna Brinkmann | Â Northern Kentucky | Â OH | Â So. |
| Â Emma Granger | Â Robert Morris | Â MB | Â Jr. |
| Â Serena Gray | Â Penn State | Â MB | Â So. |
| Â Alli Lowe | Â Colgate | Â OH | Â Jr. |
| Â Maggie O'Connell | Â Princeton | Â RS | Â Sr. |
| Â Jenna Story | Â Wright State | Â L | Â So. |
Player of the Year:Â Dana Rettke, Wisconsin, MB, Jr.
Freshman of the Year:Â Kylie Murr, Ohio State, L
Coach of the Year:Â Kelly Sheffield, Wisconsin
Pacific North Region
| Name | School | Pos. | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Â Kara Bajema** | Â Washington | Â OH | Â Sr. |
| Â Maia Dvoracek | Â Cal Poly | Â RS | Â Jr. |
| Â Audriana Fitzmorris*** | Â Stanford | Â RS | Â Sr. |
| Â Madeleine Gates** | Â Stanford | Â MB | Â Gr. |
| Â Jenna Gray*** | Â Stanford | Â S | Â Sr. |
| Â Morgan Hentz*** | Â Stanford | Â L | Â Sr. |
| Â Kirstie Hillyer | Â Colorado State | Â MB | Â RS-Sr. |
| Â Norene Iosia | Â Hawai'i | Â S/H | Â Sr. |
| Â Magda Jehlarova | Â Washington State | Â MB | Â Fr. |
| Â Mima Mirkovic | Â California | Â OH | Â Jr. |
| Â Taylor Odom | Â Santa Clara | Â MB | Â RS-Sr. |
| Â Katie Oleksak**** | Â Colorado State | Â S | Â Sr. |
| Â Ella May Powell | Â Washington | Â S | Â So. |
| Â Breana Runnels | Â Colorado State | Â OH | Â RS-Jr. |
Honorable Mention
| Name | School | Pos. | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Â Samantha Drechsel | Â Washington | Â OH | Â Jr. |
| Â Hanna Hellvig | Â Hawai'i | Â OH | Â Fr. |
| Â Amber Igiede | Â Hawai'i | Â MB | Â Fr. |
| Â Meghan McClure | Â Stanford | Â OH | Â Jr. |
| Â Lauren Sanders | Â Washington | Â MB | Â Jr. |
| Â Ronika Stone | Â Oregon | Â MB | Â Sr. |
Player of the Year:Â Kara Bajema, Washington, OH, Sr.
Freshman of the Year:Â Magda Jehlarova, Washington State, MB
Coach of the Year:Â Robyn Ah Mow, Hawai'i
Pacific South Region
| Name | School | Pos. | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Â Dani Drews** | Â Utah | Â OH | Â Jr. |
| Â Heather Gneiting** | Â BYU | Â MB | Â So. |
| Â Megan Jacobsen | Â San Diego | Â MB | Â Sr. |
| Â Saige Ka'aha'aina-Torres | Â Utah | Â S | Â So. |
| Â Kenzie Koerber | Â Utah | Â RS | Â Jr. |
| Â Mary Lake*** | Â BYU | Â L | Â Sr. |
| Â Khalia Lanier**** | Â Southern California | Â OH | Â Sr. |
| Â Mac May | Â UCLA | Â OH | Â Jr. |
| Â McKenna Miller** | Â BYU | Â OH | Â Sr. |
| Â Anna Newsome | Â San Diego | Â S | Â Sr. |
| Â Berkeley Oblad | Â Utah | Â MB | Â RS-Sr. |
| Â Lindsey Ruddins*** | Â UC Santa Barbara | Â OH | Â Sr. |
| Â Savvy Simo | Â UCLA | Â OH | Â Sr. |
| Â Tarah Wylie | Â Pepperdine | Â MB | Â RS-Sr. |
Honorable Mention
| Name | School | Pos. | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Â Kennedy Eschenberg | Â BYU | Â MB | Â Jr. |
| Â Grace Frohling | Â San Diego | Â RS | Â Fr. |
| Â Tallulah Froley | Â UC Santa Barbara | Â RS | Â Fr. |
| Â Jasmine Gross | Â Southern California | Â MB | Â Sr. |
| Â Raquel Lazaro | Â Southern California | Â S | Â So. |
| Â Shannon Scully | Â Pepperdine | Â OH | Â Jr. |
Player of the Year:Â Dani Drews, Utah, OH, Jr.
Freshman of the Year:Â Grace Frohling, San Diego, RS
Coach of the Year:Â Beth Launiere, Utah
South Region
| Name | School | Pos. | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Â Taylor Bannister*** | Â LSU | Â RS | Â Jr. |
| Â Paige Briggs | Â Western Kentucky | Â OH | Â Fr. |
| Â Lexi Broadwater** | Â Kennesaw State | Â S | Â Sr. |
| Â Lauren Chastang | Â Kennesaw State | Â OH | Â Jr. |
| Â Camille Conner** | Â Texas A&M | Â S | Â Jr. |
| Â Ciara Debell | Â Marshall | Â OH | Â RS-Jr. |
| Â Nadia Dieudonne | Â Western Kentucky | Â S | Â Jr. |
| Â Yumi Garcia*** | Â Charlotte | Â L | Â Sr. |
| Â Camila Gomez | Â Texas A&M | Â L | Â Sr. |
| Â Hollann Hans** | Â Texas A&M | Â OH | Â Sr. |
| Â Lauren Matthews | Â Western Kentucky | Â MB | Â So. |
| Â Makena Patterson | Â Texas A&M | Â MB | Â Jr. |
| Â Emily Stroup*** | Â Ole Miss | Â OH | Â Sr. |
| Â Nayo Warnell | Â Ole Miss | Â MB | Â Sr. |
Honorable Mention
| Name | School | Pos. | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Edie Brewer | North Carolina A&T | S | Jr. |
| Massiel Matos | Florida Atlantic | OH | Sr. |
| Karli Rose | LSU | S | Fr. |
| Quin Sutphin | Kennesaw State | MB | Jr. |
| Aliyah Wells | Alabama | MB | Fr. |
| Siani Yamaguchi | Winthrop | S | Sr. |
Player of the Year:Â Lauren Matthews, Western Kentucky, MB, So.
Freshman of the Year:Â Paige Briggs, Western Kentucky, OH
Coach of the Year:Â Travis Hudson, Western Kentucky
Southeast Region
| Name | School | Pos. | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Â Dana Axner | Â FGCU | Â L | Â So. |
| Â Gabby Curry** | Â Kentucky | Â L | Â Jr. |
| Â Kylie Deberg | Â Missouri | Â OH | Â Jr. |
| Â Meghan Donovan | Â Georgia | Â S | Â Sr. |
| Â Leah Edmond**** | Â Kentucky | Â OH | Â Sr. |
| Â Thayer Hall | Â Florida | Â OH | Â So. |
| Â Rachael Kramer*** | Â Florida | Â MB | Â Sr. |
| Â Madison Lilley*** | Â Kentucky | Â S | Â Jr. |
| Â McKenna Melville** | Â UCF | Â OH | Â So. |
| Â Leah Meyer*** | Â Kentucky | Â MB | Â Gr. |
| Â Anett Nemeth | Â Coastal Carolina | Â RS | Â So. |
| Â Mikayla Robinson | Â South Carolina | Â MB | Â Jr. |
| Â Mikayla Shields*** | Â South Carolina | Â RS | Â Sr. |
| Â Alli Stumler | Â Kentucky | Â OH | Â So. |
Honorable Mention
| Name | School | Pos. | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Â Allie Gregory | Â Florida | Â L | Â Sr. |
| Â Tessa Grubbs | Â Tennessee | Â OH | Â Sr. |
| Â Paige Hammons | Â Florida | Â OH | Â Jr. |
| Â Kelsi Hobbs | Â Samford | Â RS | Â Sr. |
| Â Tyanna Omazic | Â Missouri | Â MB | Â Jr. |
| Â Cortney VanLiew | Â FGCU | Â OH | Â Jr. |
Player of the Year:Â Leah Edmond, Kentucky, OH, Sr.
Freshman of the Year:Â Kacie Evans, Georgia, OH
Coach of the Year:Â Craig Skinner, Kentucky
Southwest Region
| Name | School | Pos. | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Â Anota Adekunle | Â Rice | Â MB | Â So. |
| Â Lee Ann Cunningham | Â Rice | Â L | Â Sr. |
| Â Emily DeWalt | Â Texas State | Â S | Â Fr. |
| Â Ashlynn Dunbar | Â Oklahoma | Â OH | Â Gr. |
| Â Logan Eggleston** | Â Texas | Â OH | Â So. |
| Â Skylar Fields | Â Texas | Â RS | Â Fr. |
| Â Jhenna Gabriel | Â Texas | Â S | Â So. |
| Â Keyton Kinley** | Â Oklahoma | Â L | Â Jr. |
| Â Nicole Lennon** | Â Rice | Â OH | Â Jr. |
| Â Hannah Lockin** | Â Baylor | Â S | Â Jr. |
| Â Grace Morgan** | Â Rice | Â MB | Â Sr. |
| Â Yossiana Pressley*** | Â Baylor | Â OH | Â Jr. |
| Â Shelly Stafford | Â Baylor | Â MB | Â Jr. |
| Â Micaya White**** | Â Texas | Â OH | Â Sr. |
Honorable Mention
| Name | School | Pos. | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Â Madison Green | Â Texas A&M-Corpus Christi | Â S | Â Sr. |
| Â Emily Hill | Â Texas Tech | Â OH | Â Sr. |
| Â Ann Hollas | Â Stephen F. Austin | Â S | Â Sr. |
| Â Kylee McLaughlin | Â Oklahoma | Â S | Â Jr. |
| Â Sarah Sanders | Â Oklahoma | Â RS | Â Jr. |
| Â Valerie Valerian | Â North Texas | Â OH | Â Jr. |
Player of the Year:Â Yossiana Pressley, Baylor, OH, Jr.
Freshman of the Year:Â Skylar Fields, Texas, RS
Coach of the Year:Â Ryan McGuyre, Baylor
* Denotes total number of years selected to AVCA Division I All-Region Team Â
AVCA DivIsion I Region Coaches of the Year
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AVCA Division I East Region Coach of the Year
Don Metil, Towson
2019 Record: 29-3, 16-0 Colonial
Seventh season with Towson…Clinched a spot in the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2004…Picked up their first-ever NCAA Tournament win when they defeated American in the First Round…Started the season 6-2 then went on to win 23 matches in a row…Achieved a 12-win improvement from a season ago.
AVCA Division I East Coast Region Coach of the Year
Michelle Collier, Georgia Tech
2019 record: 23-8, 14-4 ACC
Collier is in her sixth season as the head coach of Georgia Tech….Won 14 conference matches compared to six a year ago…Picked to host NIVC Tournament Matches (play Liberty tonight in the NIVC Quarterfinals)…Mentored a program-record six players with All-ACC honors (four on the First-Team)… Won the ACC Coach of the Year.
AVCA Division I Midwest Region Coach of the Year
Bobbi Petersen, Northern Iowa
2019 Record: 24-11, 17-1 Missouri Valley
Earned an at-large big into the NCAA Tournament for the sixth time in program history…Went undefeated from October 18th until November 30th, a span that included 12 consecutive wins…Fourth straight season with at least 24 wins…Won her sixth Missouri Valley Conference Coach of the Year…Garners her fourth AVCA Region Coach of the Year honor (2001, 2002, 2018).
AVCA Division I North Region Coach of the Year
Hugh McCutcheon, Minnesota
2019 Record: 25-5, 17-3 Big Ten
This is his eighth season leading the Gophers…Fifth consecutive season they have advanced to the Round of 16…Landed five players on the All-Big Ten First and Second-Team…Started the season 1-2, but has gone on to win 24 out of the next 27 matches…This is his fourth AVCA Region Coach of the Year award (2013, 2015, 2018).
AVCA Division I Northeast Region Coach of the Year
Kelly Sheffield, Wisconsin
2019 record: 24-6, 18-2
Sheffield is in the midst of another NCAA Tournament run in his seventh years with the Badgers…They have made at least the Round of 16 in every season of his tenure…Won their first Big Ten Championship since 2014…Earned a top-4 seed for the third time in program history (2014, 2016)…Picked the Big Ten Coach of the Year by league media…Wins his fourth AVCA Region Coach of the Year and third while with Wisconsin (2010 (Dayton), 2014, 2016).
AVCA Division I Pacific North Region Coach of the Year
Robyn Ah Mow, Hawai'i
2019 Record: 26-3, 14-2 Big West
This is her third season leading Hawai'i…She's led the Wahine to their most wins since the 2015 season, which was the same year they last advanced to the Regionals…Won their fifth Big West Championship since joining the league in 2012…Won the Big West Co-Coach of the Year and mentored the Conference Player of the Year (Norene Iosia) and Freshman of the Year (Hanna, Hellvig).
AVCA Division I Pacific South Region Coach of the Year
Beth Launiere, Utah
2019 Record: 24-9, 14-6 Pac-12
Launiere has led the Utes for 30 seasons…Pulled off the upset over BYU to advance to their fourth Round of 16 in program history…Spent every week of the season in the AVCA Coaches Poll, reaching as high as No. 15…Named the Pac-12 Coach of the Year for the first time…Earns her fourth AVCA Region Coach of the year and first in 11 years (2001, 2006, 2008).
AVCA Division I South Region Coach of the Year
Travis Hudson, Western Kentucky
2019 Record: 32-2, 14-0 Conference USA
Just completed his 25th season leading the Hilltoppers…Earned the program's first NCAA Tournament seed (15) to clinch their 12th all-time appearance in The Dance…Set a WKU attendance record in the NCAA's Second Round match with 5,023 fans packed in Diddle Arena…Won their fifth Conference USA Regular Season and Tournament Championships…Started the season unranked, but has climbed to No. 19 in the latest AVCA Coaches Poll…Sixth AVCA Region Coach of the Year (2002, 2005, 2012, 2016, 2017).
AVCA Division I Southeast Region Coach of the Year
Craig Skinner, Kentucky
2019 Record: 25-6, 16-2 SEC
Fifteen seasons at the helm of the Wildcats…This is their third consecutive season advancing to the Round of 16…Won the SEC Championship for the third time…Currently sit at No. 11 in the AVCA Coaches Poll, which is their highest since the season started…Participated in the NCAA Tournament in each of the last 15 seasons…Takes home the AVCA Region Coach of the Year for the third time (2011, 2018).
AVCA Division I Southwest Region Coach of the Year
Ryan McGuyre, Baylor
2019 Record: 27-1, 15-1 Big 12
McGuyre has had a season to remember in his fifth year leading the program…Picked up their first-ever No. 1 ranking in the AVCA Coaches Poll…Earned the No. 1 overall seed in the NCAA Tournament…Advanced to the Round of 16 for the first time in a decade…Captured their first Big 12 Championship…Won the Big 12 Conference Coach of the Year.
