SUSAN BREWER

It is hard to imagine Susan Brewer could have foreseen, when she accepted a job at Bellville High School in 1977 to start the girls’ volleyball program, how that decision would impact not only her own life but the lives of thousands of others.

Brewer’s on-going commitment to excellence, which has been the hallmark of her 45 years at the southeastern Texas high school, is reflected in many ways. On-court success is evident through the 1,139 victories she’s earned and the nine state titles her teams have won. The program has made the UIL playoffs 40 times and advanced to the state tournament on 17 occasions.

“Her ability to motivate and inspire her players, and to mold these young ladies into a true team, is second to none,” says Bruce White, editor and publisher of The Bellville Times. “Her players honor the game with their dignity, class, and sportsmanship—no matter the outcome—because those are the attributes Coach Brewer has instilled in them.”

Brewer has been very involved with the Texas Girls’ Coaches Association in a number of capacities, ranging from being on the organization’s board of directors to being part of its selection committee to choose all-state teams. She was a four-year member of the National Federation of High School Coaches’ Citizenship and Equity Committee and continues to be a featured presenter at clinics across the state and region.

SHELTON COLLIER

One of the country’s finest coaches, Shelton Collier has coached teams at many levels in his 40 years and succeeded everywhere he has been.

Collier passed a couple of milestones at Wingate University during the most recent fall season, which was his 20th at the Division II school in North Carolina. He earned his 550th overall victory at Wingate and his 300th win in conference play.

Before taking over at Wingate, Collier spent nine years at Pittsburgh, winning 296 matches, and 11 years as Georgia Tech’s women’s coach, registering 271 victories in 11 seasons. All told, he has 1,118 career wins, making him one of only a handful of collegiate coaches to reach that lofty total.

Collier has also served in a variety of roles with USA Volleyball since he began his association with the Women’s National Team as a consultant and head scout in 1985. He was an assistant coach with the National Team from 1988–90, has been involved in many USAV educational programs, and most recently has directed the USA A1 and A2 High Performance youth programs.

“I have known Shelton for over 35 years, both as a collegiate coach and through his work for so many years with different USA national programs,” says North Carolina Head Volleyball Coach Joe Sagula. “In that time, he has demonstrated the ability to impact not only hundreds of players, but also to be a mentor to coaches across so many levels of the game.”

FRAN FLORY

Fran Flory has made her mark as a teacher, mentor, innovator, and overall contributor to the sport. In addition to the many accolades and victories she has earned, the 2022 AVCA Hall of Famer is renowned for her dedication to anchoring volleyball in educational principles, and her focus on ethical behavior.

This commitment to integrity brought with it plenty of success. Flory is the winningest coach in LSU volleyball history, collecting more than 400 of her 500 career victories in Baton Rouge. She also started the LSU beach volleyball team in 2014 and was its first coach.

Her dedication to the nascent sport is reflected by the fact that, over the first two years, she took no new funding from the athletics department. Since that inaugural season, the Tigers have consistently been one of the nation’s top beach volleyball teams.

Flory also has given back to the sport she loves by serving on various committees within the NCAA and the AVCA. She is still a featured presenter at hundreds of camps/clinics throughout the country and is a regular speaker at the AVCA Convention.

“Beyond her team’s success on the court, what sets Fran apart is her level of integrity,” says Florida Head Volleyball Coach Mary Wise. “One of Fran’s greatest strengths is the ability to look at our sport from a bigger perspective: she would be the first to sacrifice her own needs for the good of the whole.”

RICH LUENEMANN

En route to becoming an NAIA and Division III coaching legend, Rich Luenemann earned 1,070 victories across his 32-year collegiate career.

Luenemann, who never had a losing season, took his first volleyball job as the University of St. Francis women’s coach in 1981. In his 18 years at the Illinois school, he led teams to seven NAIA top-10 finishes and coached 15 All-Americans. His overall record of 590–262 included a 53–6 mark in 1989.

He took over the reins at Washington University in St. Louis in 1999 from AVCA Hall of Famer Teri Clemens and kept things rolling for the storied Bears’ women’s program. His .886 winning percentage and 480 wins over 14 seasons at WashU were highlighted by three national titles and eight semifinal appearances in the NCAA Division III Championship.

Luenemann, a defensive mastermind, is no stranger to awards, as the AVCA Hall of Fame is one of four he has made during his career. He is a three-time AVCA National Coach of the Year, picking up the award in 2003, 2007, and 2009—the Bears national championship seasons.

“Beyond his impressive numbers, Rich will be remembered as a coach that cared deeply for his players and his programs,” says Joe Worlund, who was an associate athletic director during Luenemann’s tenure at WashU. “His program produced first-rate players that represented his institutions well both on and off the court during and following their playing careers.”

About the AVCA
The AVCA, an educationally based nonprofit headquartered in Lexington, KY, is the largest and most diverse volleyball coaches’ association in the world. With a broad mandate to develop the sport, the AVCA provides leadership, recognition, advocacy, and professional development opportunities to over 8,000 volleyball coaches. Members include college, high school, club, and youth coaches, and well as a wide variety of product and service providers.