COLORADO SPRINGS, COLO - The American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA), in conjunction with Tachikara USA, Inc, is proud to announce that Rich Luenemann of Washington University in St. Louis has been selected as the 2003 AVCA/Tachikara Division III National Coach of the Year.

Luenemann took Washington University to the NCAA Division III Championship the last two seasons. The Bears defeated New York University 3-0 to clinch the championship title in 2003. Washington U. compiled a 38-3 record and ended 2003 with a 28-match win-streak. Washington U. finished second last year after falling to the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater in the finals.

Since joining the Bears' volleyball program five years ago, Luenemann has compiled a record of 176-25 and a career record of 766-287. Luenemann earned his 750th-career win against Carnegie Mellon on Oct. 18, 2003. Washington U. has improved its NCAA Tournament appearance streak to 17 and has placed in the top three in three of the last four years.

Luenemann has obtained many honors in his 23-year coaching career. He was named the University Athletic Association Coach of the Year last season and has been named the AVCA Central Region Coach of the Year twice (2000, 2003). While coaching at St. Francis (Ill.), Luenemann led the team to the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics Tournament seven times, including a sixth-place finish his first year at the helm.

Luenemann is currently serving as a poll voter for the AVCA Division III Coaches Top 25 Poll and is on the AVCA Division III Central Region Awards Committee.

A 1972 graduate of Eastern Illinois University with a bachelor's degree in psychology, Luenemann received his master's degree in education with an emphasis in physical eduation from the same school in 1974.

Tachikara will formally present the AVCA National Coach of the Year award on Dec. 18 in Dallas at the AVCA/Tachikara Coach of the Year banquet. The brunch is held in conjunction with the 2003 AVCA Annual Convention.