AVCA NAIA Coach of the Year

CANDACE MOATS, INDIANA WESLEYAN UNIVERSITY

• Capped a great 2023 season by earning National Coach of the Year honors
• The award adds to her list of 2023 accolades, as she was also the 2023 AVCA MidCentral Region Co-Coach of the Year and the Crossroads League Coach of the Year
• Led the Wildcats to an epic five-set win over Northwestern in the NAIA Championship last week to earn the school’s first national volleyball title
• Team finished the season a perfect 38-0
• Finishes her 22nd season at Illinois Wesleyan with a career mark of 984-369
• That win total places her first among active NAIA WVB coaches

 

AVCA NAIA Assistant Coach of the Year

TIM WALKER, LIFE UNIVERSITY

• Just completed was his second season working with the Life University women’s volleyball team
• In addition to being the national Assistant Coach of the Year, won the same award from the SSAC this season
• Helped the Running Eagles go 16-11 on the year, with an 11-3 record and third-place finish in the SSAC
• Worked with four players who were named to the 2023 SSAC all-conference teams, including Naomi Eckert Rivera, who was the league Setter of the Year
• Recently named Life’s new head women’s volleyball coach

 

AVCA NAIA NATIONAL COACHES OF THE YEAR

1988: Judy Lovre, Western Oregon State College
1989: Dennis Janzen, Fresno Pacific College
1990: Nahadu Brown, Hawai’i Pacific College
1991: Tom Pingel, IPFW
1992: Steve Holman, Carroll College
1993: Judy Green, University of Montevallo
1994: Dennis Janzen, Fresno Pacific College
1996: Wilfred Navalta, BYU-Hawai’i
1997: Susan & Wayne Kreklow, Columbia College
1998: Susan & Wayne Kreklow, Columbia College
1999: Donna Hawkins, Georgetown College
2000: Paul Giesselmann, College of Saint Mary (NE)
2001: Barb Wnek, Point Loma Nazarene University
2002: Kaddie Platt, Houston Baptist University
2003: Tom Van Den Bosch, Dordt College
2004: Melinda Wyre-Washington, Columbia College
2005: Jerry Abraham, Madonna University
2006: Todd Lowery, National American (SD)
2007: Dennis Janzen, Fresno Pacific University
2008: Paula Weishoff, Concordia University, Irvine
2009: Dennis Janzen, Fresno Pacific University
2010: Ryan McGuyre, California Baptist University
2011: Dan Fisher, Concordia University Irvine
2012: Melinda Wrye-Washington, Columbia College (MO)
2013: Aaron Seltzer, Biola University
2014: Mike Talamantes, Park University (MO)
2015: Chris Nichols, Missouri Baptist University
2016: Matt Buttermore, Hastings College
2017: Chad Hanson, Dordt College
2018: Mike Talamantes, Park University (MO)
2019: Ashlee Pritchard, Marian University (IN)
2021 (spring): Jon Hegerle, University of Jamestown (ND)
2021 (fall): Mike Talamantes, Park University (MO)
2022: Jon Hegerle, University of Jamestown (ND)
2023: Candace Moats, Indiana Wesleyan University

AVCA NAIA NATIONAL ASSISTANT COACHES OF THE YEAR

2009: Kevin Hudson, Lee (TN)
2010: Todd Nord, Cal Baptist
2011: Larry Hinshaw, Indiana Wesleyan
2012: Jason Munoz, Oklahoma Baptist
2013: Dan Priest, Indiana Wesleyan
2014: Brett Gillen, Concordia Irvine
2015: Abbie Wright, Biola
2016: Steve Field, Bellevue
2017: Makani Cantor, Grand View (IA)
2018: Makani Cantor, Grand View (IA)
2019: Jake Fulsom, Jamestown (ND)
2021 (spring): Adrianna Skipper, Ottawa (KS)
2021 (fall): Riley Anderson, Marian (IN)
2022: Adam Brewster, MidAmerica Nazarene (KS)
2023: Tim Walker, Life University