AVCA All-Region Selections:
AVCA All-Region Honorable Mention Selections:
Atlantic Region Player of the Year: London Fuller, Clarion University, S, Sr.
Atlantic Region Freshman of the Year: Bengisu Arslan, Gannon University, S
Atlantic Region Coach of the Year: Matt Darling, Gannon University
Central Region Player of the Year: Taya Beller, MB, Wayne State College (NE), So.
Central Region Freshman of the Year: Sydney Huck, OH, University of Central Oklahoma
Central Region Coach of the Year: Scott Kneifl, Wayne State College (NE)
East Region Player of the Year: Andrea Serra Rosa, American International College, OH, Gr.
East Region Freshman of the Year: Macarty McQueen, Adelphi University, OH
East Region Coach of the Year: Danielle MacKnight, Adelphi University
Midwest Region Player of the Year: Charlotte Richards, University of Missouri-St. Louis, OH, Sr.
Midwest Region Freshman of the Year: Kayla Giroux, Wayne State University, MH
Midwest Region Coach of the Year: Ryan Young, University of Missouri-St. Louis
South Region Player of the Year: Diana Akopova, Barry University, OH, So.
South Region Freshman of the Year: Tess Schrenger, University of Tampa, OH
South Region Coach of the Year: Leonid Yelin, Barry University
South Central Region Player of the Year: AJ Koele, RS, Dallas Baptist University, Gr.
South Central Region Freshman of the Year: Taytum Stow, MB, West Texas A&M University
South Central Region Coach of the Year: Kendra Potts, West Texas A&M University
Southeast Region Player of the Year: Shannon Kasprak, Wingate University, S, Gr.
Southeast Region Freshman of the Year: Emily Johnson, Wingate University, M
Southeast Region Coach of the Year: Shelton Collier, Wingate University
West Region Player of the Year: Eve Stephens, University of Alaska Anchorage, R, Sr.
West Region Freshman of the Year: Iane Henke, California State University, Los Angeles, OH
West Region Coach of the Year: Juan Figueroa, California State University, Los Angeles
REGION COACHES OF THE YEAR
ATLANTIC REGION COACH OF THE YEAR
Matt Darling, Gannon University
2022 Record (as of Nov. 22): 29-5
The longest tenured and winningest head coach in the history of the Gannon volleyball, Darling has guided the Golden Knights to their third-straight appearance in the Elite Eight of the NCAA Tournament. His 2022 squad heads to Seattle riding a 17-match win streak with a 29-5 record, which marks the fifth-consecutive season—not including 2020—they’ve won 29 or more matches.
CENTRAL REGION COACH OF THE YEAR
Scott Kneifl, Wayne State College (NE)
2022 Record (as of Nov. 22): 30-3
It was a stellar season for Kneifl and the Wildcats in 2022. His team, which held the No. 1 ranking in the AVCA Poll for five consecutive weeks from mid-September to mid-October, earned the school’s first NSIC regular-season title and became the fourth squad in WSC history to win 30 games. The Wildcats victory over Minnesota State on Sept. 11 gave Kneifl his 400th career win.
EAST REGION COACH OF THE YEAR
Danielle MacKnight, Adelphi University
2022 Record (as of Nov. 22): 23-11
In her 16th year as Adelphi head coach MacKnight led her team to a 23-11 record and a return to the Northeast-10 Conference final and its deepest NCAA Championship run. For the first time in school history, the Panthers reached the East Regional final, which they lost to Southern New Hampshire in a heartbreaker that ended 21-19 in the fifth set.
MIDWEST REGION COACH OF THE YEAR
Ryan Young, Missouri-St. Louis
2022 Record (as of Nov. 22): 24-6
It was a huge weekend for Young and Missouri-St. Louis volleyball, as the team’s win in the Midwest Regional clinched the school’s first appearance in the NCAA Championship quarterfinals. Under Young, who is in his 12th season as UMSL head coach, the Tritons have made the last three NCAA Tournaments and won at least 24 matches those seasons.
SOUTH REGION COACH OF THE YEAR
Leonid Yelin, Barry University
2022 Record (as of Nov. 22): 28-5
It has been a triumphant return to Barry for Yelin. In his first season back at the school—where we also coached from 1991-95 and won a national championship in his final year—the Buccaneers are 28-5 and advanced to the quarterfinal round of the 2022 NCAA Tournament by sweeping defending national champ Tampa last weekend in the South Regional final.
SOUTH CENTRAL REGION COACH OF THE YEAR
Kendra Potts, West Texas A&M University
2022 Record (as of Nov. 22): 30-4
Potts has made things happen in her four seasons leading the women’s volleyball team at her alma mater. Her 2022 West Texas A&M squad is 30-4 and brings a 23-match win streak into the NCAA quarterfinals. In the South Central Regional final, the Lady Buffs took down No. 1 MSU Denver 3-0 to punch their ticket to the Elite Eight for the second-consecutive season.
SOUTHEAST REGION COACH OF THE YEAR
Shelton Collier, Wingate University
2022 Record (as of Nov. 22): 32-2
Collier has guided his current squad to another remarkable year, one in which they went 32-2 and made the NCAA Tournament for the 18th consecutive time. While a 30-win season would be the pinnacle at most schools, it is the norm for Wingate during Collier’s tenure. The 2022 Bulldogs, which advanced to next week’s Elite Eight next week in Seattle, are his 10th squad since 2007 to reach 30 victories.
WEST REGION COACH OF THE YEAR
Juan Figueroa, Cal State Los Angeles
2022 Record (as of Nov. 22): 24-6
Now in his sixth season at Cal State L.A., Figueroa picks up his first AVCA Regional Coach of the Year honor. It is well deserved, as the Golden Eagles fought through a stacked West Region, which included four other ranked teams, to earn the school’s first berth in the quarterfinal round of the NCAA Championship since 2005. That year was also the last time, until this season, Cal State L.A. won the CCAA regular-season title.