2011 AVCA Division I All-Region Teams

Central Region

Region Freshman of the Year: Haley Eckerman, Texas, OH

Honorable Mention: Emily Adney (Wichita State, OH, Jr.), Kristen Hahn (Iowa St., L, So.), Caroline Jarmoc, Kansas, MB, So.), Sallie McLaurin (Oklahoma, MB, So.), Allie Sawatzky (Texas A&M, S, So.), Carly Thomas (Missouri St., S, So.)

East Region

Region Freshman of the Year: Natalia Skiba, Northeastern, Libero

Honorable Mention: Alissa Alker (Delaware, RS/Opp., Jr.), Katy Buck (Towson, OH, So.), Chaniel Nelson (North Carolina, RS/Opp., RS-Fr.), Alexa Rand (Clemson, MB, Jr.), Natalia Skiba (Northeaster, L, Fr.), Serenat Yaz (Clemson, OH, Jr.)

Mideast Region

Midwest Region

Honorable Mention: Caitlin Clark (Morehead St., S/H, Jr.), Xitlali Herrera (Texas-El Paso, MB, So.), Courtney Manning (SMU, MB, Jr.), Jenny Pokorny (Valparaiso, S, Sr.), Heather Thomas (Alabama-Birmingham, L, Sr.), Rachel Vukson (UCF, S, Sr.) 

Region Freshman of the Year: Kayla Price, UW-Milwaukee, S

Northeast Region

Region Freshman of the Year: Chelsie Heier, Marquette, S

Honorable Mention: Emily Juhl (Louisville, OH/RS, So.), Alicia Nelson (Stony Brook, OH, Sr.), Laurie Gonzalez (Albany, L, Sr.), Meghan Matusiak (Seton Hall, RS, Sr.), Sara Rishell (American, MB, Fr.), Casey Wright (Albany, MB, Sr.)
 

Region Freshman of the Year:  Krista Vansant, Washington, OH

Honorable Mention:  Amanda Arterburn (Northern Colo., L, Sr.), Katie Fuller (USC, Opp., Jr.), Shannon Hawari (California, MB, Jr.), Cursty Jackson (Arizona, MB, Sr.), Lauren Plum (Oregon, S, So.), Kellie Woolever (Pepperdine, S, So.)

South Region 

Region Freshman of the Year: Mary Pollmiller, Tennessee, S

Honorable Mention: Sarah Havel (Charleston, MA, Sr.), Lauren Hutchinson (Samford, MA, Jr.), Maggie Jonhson (Belmont, OH, Sr.), Meghan Mannari (LSU, L, Jr.), Jasmine Norton (Arkansas, OH, Jr.), Maria Szivos (M. Tenn. State, RS, Sr.)

West Region 

Region Freshman of the Year: Meredith Hays, New Mexico St, OH

Honorable Mention:  Kelsey Brennan (New Mexico St., RS, Sr.), Johnna Fouch (San Diego St. (S, So.), Kristen Hester (TCU, MB, Sr.), Brittany Hewitt (Hawaii, MB, Jr.), Jordan Raines (TCU, OH, Sr.), Allison Walker (Idaho, OH, So.)

2011 AVCA Division I Region Coaches of the Year

LEXINGTON, Ky. - The following coaches have been selected by their region as the 2011 AVCA Division I Region Coach of the Year. Each of the honorees will represent their region on the 2011 AVCA National Coach of the Year ballot. The awards will be officially presented at the 2011 Jostens Coaches Honors Luncheon in San Antonio, Texas on Thursday, Dec. 15, at the 2011 American Volleyball Coaches Association Annual Convention.

AVCA Division I South Region Coach of the Year
Craig Skinner, University of Kentucky
2011 Record: 28-5, 17-3 Southeastern Conference
In his seventh season as head coach of the Kentucky Wildcats, Craig Skinner led his team to an impressive 28-5 record and a seventh consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance.  With victories in the first two rounds of the NCAA Tournament, it ensures that Kentucky will have the earned chance to compete in front of a home crowd. The Wildcats Sweet 16 appearance is their second in the past three seasons. Skinner's squad collected 28 victories this season, the fourth 20-win season in Skinner's seven-year career. Under his guidance, the Wildcats sit atop the defensive rankings in the Southeastern Conference, averaging more than 2.5 blocks per set. This season, six Kentucky players were honored with All-SEC accolades. In fact, during Skinner's tenure at Kentucky, he has placed at least one player on the SEC All-Freshman team in every season. The Wildcats finished the season ranked 16^th in the country, their highest ranking of the season. Skinner was named SEC Coach of the Year in 2005, but this is his first Region Coach of the Year honor.

AVCA Division I Central Region Coach of the Year
Jerritt Elliott, The University of Texas
2011 Record: 25-4, 15-1 Big 12 Conference
In his 11th season as head coach of the Longhorns, Jerritt Elliott led the The University of Texas to its sixth consecutive NCAA regional appearance.  The Longhorns ended the regular season ranked fifth in the country, and for their strong performance during the season, they were awarded the top overall seed in the NCAA tournament.  The Longhorns defeated Texas State in the first round before grinding out a victory against a talented Michigan State team in the second round. The fifth-ranked Texas team received plenty of Big 12 accolades, as sophomore outside hitter Bailey Webster was tabbed as the Big 12 Player of the Year, becoming the third straight Longhorn to receive the distinction.  Elliot himself was named as the Big 12 Coach of the Year, the fourth time in his career to receive the honor (2004, 2007, 2010). He won the AVCA Division I Pacific Region Coach of the Year for the first time in 2000 while at the University of Southern California.  This is his fourth Division I Central Region Coach of the Year honor since joining Texas (2004, 2007, 2010).

AVCA Division I Pacific Region Coach of the Year
Mick Haley, University of Southern California
2011 Record: 28-4, 20-2 Pac 12 Conference
In his 11th season as head coach of the Trojans, Mick Haley led his University of Southern California Trojans to their 11^th consecutive NCAA tournament appearance. The Trojans finished the season atop the top-25 poll, holding the top spot for the final two weeks after holding steady in the top-five since the third week of the season. Haley's role within the historically powerful USC volleyball program took on added importance over the summer, as he was named Director of Women's Volleyball, a position in charge of supervising the newly added sand volleyball team in addition to his regular duties. It was the third conference title that USC has claimed under head coach Mick Haley, and his 17^th career conference championship (14 in the Southwest Conference while coaching at the University of Texas). Senior outside hitter Alex Jupiter was named the Pac 12 Player of the Year and two other players were presented with significant awards. Haley took home his first Pac 12 Coach of the Year award, his first such recognition while at USC. In 2003, Haley was named the AVCA National Coach of the Year as well as the Pacific Region Coach of the Year.

AVCA Division I West Region Coach of the Year
Tom Hilbert, Colorado State University
2011 Record: 23-6, 12-2 Mountain West Conference
2011 was Tom Hilbert's 15^th season as the Colorado State head coach and his 23^rd overall year of collegiate coaching. Under his guidance, the Rams finished their season with a 23-6 overall record, falling to Hawai'i in the opening round of the NCAA tournament. They also collected a respectable 12-2 record in Mountain West conference play. Most impressively, the Rams have never failed to make an NCAA tournament during the Tom Hilbert tenure, this season marking their 17^th straight year of postseason play. The Rams last four starters from their 2010 squad, but achieved plenty of success, ranking as high as 14^th in the top-25 poll in September. Katelyn Steffan, the teams only senior, was presented with the Mountain West Player of the Year award. The Rams won their third straight regular season conference title and swept the competition in the Mountain West tournament, winning their fifth crown. Two other players were named to the all-conference squad, and redshirt freshman Deedra Foss was honored as the Mountain West Newcomer of the Year. Hilbert finishes the 2011 season as the winningest coach in Colorado State athletics history in any sport. He has been named Mountain West Coach of the Year on eight separate occasions, but this marks his first Region Coach of the Year honor.

AVCA Division I Northeast Region Coach of the Year
Bond Shymansky, Marquette University
2011 Record: 24-11, 12-2 Big East Conference
2011 was Bond Shymansky's third season as the Marquette head coach and his 10th overall year of collegiate coaching. Not only did the Golden Eagles rack up 24 wins, they earned their first-ever berth in the NCAA Tournament as an at-large selection out of the Big East. Shymansky came to Marquette after serving as the head coach at Georgia Tech, where he left in 2008 with the highest career winning percentage among active ACC coaches. He has guided Marquette to 45 victories over the past two seasons, the highest total over any two-year stretch since the school joined Division I in 1985. Their 12 victories in Big East play is a program record for conference wins. In 2004, Shymansky was named the ACC Coach of the Year, and he received the same award from the Big East this season. With a career winning percentage of over .700, Shymansky would place 23^rd on the all-time list after becoming eligible after this season. He was named the AVCA East Region Coach of the Year after guiding Georgia Tech to a perfect conference record in 2004.

AVCA Division I Midwest Region Coach of the Year
Steven McRoberts, University of Tulsa
2011 Record: 28-7, 18-2 Conference USA
Steven McRoberts was appointed as the head coach at Tulsa in February 2011 and wasted no time guiding his team to a successful season. Under his watch, the Hurricane posted an 18-2 conference record and clinched the Conference USA championship with a 3-1 victory at Rice on November 11. The title was the fourth for the Tulsa program and they are the first team to repeat as champions in consecutive years since Louisville in 2003-2004. The Hurricane has won 36 of the last 38 matches in conference play, dating back to a 20-0 record last season. McRoberts was named as co-Conference USA Coach of the Year for 2011, the 10^th conference Coach of the Year award of his coaching career. Tulsa reached as high as 23^rd in the top-25 poll this season, and received votes in 11 different weeks. Tulsa also appeared in the preseason top-25 for the first time in program history. This season, Tulsa placed four players on All-Conference USA teams, including three first-team honorees to lead the conference. In addition, Tyler Henderson was named as the Conference USA Player of the Year and Jessica Adams was named Libero of the Year. This is his first AVCA Region Coach of the Year award.

AVCA Division I East Region Coach of the Year
Chris Poole, Florida State University
2011 Record: 26-6, 18-2 Atlantic Coast Conference
Poole's fourth season as the head coach of the Florida State Seminoles saw him continue the success that has been building over his first three seasons. A victory over the Cincinnati Bearcats has placed the Seminoles in the NCAA Sweet Sixteen for only the second time in program history. The Seminoles clinched their third ACC title with a win earlier this season over Georgia Tech, and secured their second conference crown in the past three seasons. The 18 conference wins racked up this season is one shy of the program's highest total in history. Three Seminoles were named to the ACC All-Conference team, and freshman setter Sarah Wickstrom was named to the ACC All-Freshman squad. Chris Poole took home his second ACC Coach of the Year award. The recognition is his ninth conference Coach of the Year award, dating back to his days at Arkansas, Arkansas State and Arkansas Tech. Florida State ended the season ranked 21^st in the AVCA Top-25 Coaches Poll, and reached as high as 17^th during the course of the season. After taking over at Florida State in 2008, Poole guided the team to a program-best 31 wins. In 2008, he was named as the AVCA East Region Coach of the Year for the first time.

AVCA Division I Mideast Region Coach of the Year
Dave Shondell, Purdue University
2011 Record: 29-4, 15-4 Big Ten Conference
In his ninth season at the helm of the Purdue volleyball program, Dave Shondell led the team to their seventh NCAA Tournament appearance in the last eight seasons. Before Shondell took over as the Purdue head coach, the program had experienced only one winning season in the previous nine years. Now, he has them poised as a perennial contender for both Big Ten and NCAA championships for years to come. The Boilermakers finished the regular season ranked eighth in the AVCA Top-25, their highest spot in the poll since 1983. Their third consecutive week in the top-10 is also the longest stay in the top-10 since 1983. In the preseason, Purdue was selected to finish fourth in the conference. Their 16-4 Big Ten record was good enough for second place. Shondell's Purdue squads over the years have knocked off 30 ranked opponents, and he boasts a record of 189-107 in that span. The Boilermakers defeated seven ranked opponents in the 2011 season. Ariel Turner was selected as the Big Ten Player of the Year, and two Boilermakers were named as unanimous All-Big Ten selections. Shondell was awarded the Big Ten Coach of the Year, and became the first Purdue coach to take him the honor since 1985.   This is his the first time he'll take home a Region Coach of the Year award.