COLORADO SPRINGS, COLO – The American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA), in conjunction with Tachikara USA, Inc, is proud to announce that Kris Russell of the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater has been selected as the 2002 AVCA/Tachikara Division III National Coach of the Year.

Russell’s Wisconsin-Whitewater squad took the top seed in the NCAA Tournament Midwest Region and rode it to the final round of the NCAA Championship. Whitewater won its first NCAA Division III National Championship after finishing second the previous two years. The Warhawks finish this season 36-4 and number one in the AVCA Division III Coaches Top 25 Poll.

Russell has coached seven WWIAC/WIAC championship teams and 12 have participated in the NCAA Division III tournament. She holds a 745-215 record and led UW-Whitewater to its 10th consecutive NCAA appearance this year. The Warhawks won the WIAC tournament title and shared the regular season title with UW-River Falls.

UW-W defeated Wittenberg, Mount St. Joseph, Elmhurst, Central College, Wartburg and UW-River Falls in 2002. The squad is ranked in the top six nationally in both kills and assists per game.

Russell has earned AVCA/Tachikara Region Coach of the Year five times (1988, 1995, 1998, 2001, 2002) and selected as the AVCA/Tachikara Division III Coach of the Year five times (1986, 1988, 1993, 1998, 2002). She has been the chair of both the AVCA's Division III All-America Selection Committee.

In addition to her coaching duties at UW-W, Russell is an instructor in the Department of Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Coaching. Her volleyball camps and clinics provide education and skill development to approximately 700 volleyball enthusiasts each summer on the UW-W campus.

Tachikara will formally present the AVCA National Coach of the Year award on Dec. 19 in New Orleans at the AVCA/Tachikara Coach of the Year banquet. The brunch is held in conjunction with the 2002 AVCA Annual Convention.