COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – The American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA), in conjunction with Tachikara USA, Inc, is proud to announce that Qi Wang of Truman State University has been selected as the 2002 AVCA/Tachikara Division II National Coach of the Year.

Wang earned the AVCA/Tachikara South Central Region Coach of the Year for the second year in a row, his only two seasons as a head coach. He led Truman to its third consecutive NCAA Division II South Central Region appearance where it advanced to the Elite Eight for the second straight year. The Bulldogs earned a spot in the NCAA Division II Elite Eight Tournament title match before falling to BYU-Hawai’i.

The Bulldogs finished Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association play as conference runner-up, including a win over league champion Washburn. Truman came up with two huge wins against North Alabama and Central Missouri State in the regional tournament to advance to the NCAA Division II Elite Eight.  The Bulldogs defeated then-top-ranked and host West Texas A&M in the Elite Eight prior to defeating then-fourth-ranked Grand Valley State in the semifinals to advance to their first-ever appearance in the championship final. Truman finished the season with an overall record of 28-9 and ranked second in the AVCA Division II Coaches Top 25 Poll.

As a first year head coach in 2001, Wang guided the Bulldogs to their best season in team history. The 2001 Bulldogs had the best winning percentage (.949) in NCAA Division II and won a team record 37 matches, while using a perfect 16-0 record to capture their second straight MIAA title. Truman also had its most successful post-season in school history up until this year, winning the South Central Regional and advancing to the NCAA Division II Elite Eight for the first time. The Bulldogs fell in their opening match in the Elite Eight national tournament, but finished third in the final AVCA Division II Coaches Top 25 Poll after being nationally ranked all season.

For his efforts in 2001, which included helping produce the first two AVCA/Tachikara All-Americans in team history,  Wang was honored as Coach of the Year in both the MIAA and AVCA South Central Region.

Wang began his volleyball career as a player in China on the elite professional and collegiate teams in 1974 and started his coaching career in 1983 in China with men's and women's volleyball teams. Wang coached the Dalian University of Technology of China, which is the country's leading university in technology and sports, from 1987-94.

Wang earned a bachelor's degree in physical education from Beijing University in 1983 and received his master's in coaching and teaching theory and methods of physical education from the same school in 1987. He earned another master's degree in coaching of sport from Eastern New Mexico University in 1996.

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.