February 14, 2024

As a part of the AVCA’s previously announced partnership expansion with Volleyball World, AVCA members can begin taking advantage of their 1-year exclusive access to VBTV’s Video on Demand (VOD) content! VBTV’s VOD content includes full indoor and beach matches available right after the match ends, highlights, original series, interviews, and more. Click here for instructions to access your free subscription! Not a member and want to take advantage of this amazing benefit? Join the AVCA by March 24, 2024, to be included.

Learn from the best and attend a high school volleyball coaches clinic near you hosted by AVCA Signature and Affiliate Partners. Coming up:

• MHSVCA (Missouri) – February 23-24
• SDVBCA (South Dakota) – March 22-23
• GVCA (Georgia) – April 27
• NYVCA (New York) – May 17-18

Wishing a Very Happy 95th Birthday to Sandy Vong! Vong, the Founder of Insight Sports, served as the first women’s coach at the University of Michigan from 1973–83 while also working full-time as an engineer at Ford Motor Company. He was as an advisor to both the U.S. and China Women’s National Teams, and spent 10 years on the AVCA Board of Directors. Vong is a perennial supporter of the AVCA Match Point mentoring program, and was inducted into the AVCA Hall of Fame in 2014. The Vong Family Endowment, started by Sandy Vong and his children in 2021, provides funding for volleyball coaches and/or support staff to attend their first AVCA Convention in tandem with the Coaches 4 Coaches program. “Sandy Vong’s contributions to the volleyball coaching community go back almost 50 years,” said former AVCA executive director Kathy DeBoer. “He is one of the most consistent, considerate, and generous people in our profession, and he is always, always looking for ways to help coaches.”

2024 AVCA Thirty Under 30 Awards – Nominations close March 1! Categories:

• Thirty Under 30 College
• Thirty Under 30 Beach
• Thirty Under 30 Club

Eligible nominees must be 30 years old or younger as of December 31, 2023 [born 1993 or later], active AVCA members, and currently coaching volleyball in the selected category.

AVCA Boys, Men’s & Beach Officiation Appreciation Week Coming March 23 – April 7

This period is set aside to make sure our officials know they are part of the sport. As coaches, you are the leaders; student-athletes, parents, and fans will follow your example to ensure we treat our officials in a manner befitting their role in helping boys, men’s and beach volleyball become one of the United States most popular sports. Learn more.

The AVCA is now accepting nominations for the 2024 AVCA Boys Watch Lists: Senior athletes will be added to AVCA Boys High School All-America Watch List. Non-senior high school athletes will be featured on the AVCA High Risers List. Please nominate all of your deserving athletes to ensure they are recognized and we bring more attention to the sport!

Coming on Friday: AVCA Collegiate Beach Preseason Top 20 Poll!

AVCA Players of the Week

• National Collegiate Men
• Division III Men

Where to Watch This Week’s Top Matches

Check back here each week to see a list with television and/or streaming info for matches between teams ranked in the AVCA polls!

Tickets now on sale for this year’s National Collegiate Men’s Volleyball Championship, May 2-4 at Walter Pyramid, Long Beach, CA!

Nominations for the 2024 JVA Boys’ Watch List powered by Fivestar are OPEN!

This award recognizes indoor boys volleyball athletes from JVA member clubs for outstanding achievement on the volleyball court. Players eligible for nomination are currently competing in age divisions 15U, 16U, 17U or 18U and graduating high school in 2024, 2025, 2026 or 2027. Nominate here.

Recruiting Solutions: 4 Things to Know Heading Into the Contact and Evaluation Period

Two months ago, we were preparing for the club season to start, the holiday break hit us, and boom, it’s mid-February when the Evaluation Period and Contact Period begin. I thought it would be helpful to share some of the questions I’ve gotten over the past few weeks from these upperclassmen and their parents as you may have similar questions going into the February recruiting period. Read more.

Volleyball in the Media

• La Sierra University [NAIA] will add several new sports in the next two years, including women’s beach volleyball and men’s volleyball.
• International Volleyball Hall of Fame: The REAL History of Volleyball – researching the origins of the sport.
• Jeff and Laurie Triplette have jointly endowed the Triplette Family Volleyball Assistant Coach position at Wake Forest.

The 8th annual Southern California Indoor Volleyball Hall of Fame Charity Induction Dinner & Ceremonies will take place on Sunday, May 5, 2024 in Anaheim, CA (the night after the NCAA Men’s Volleyball Finals at Long Beach State). SCIVBHOF inductees include AVCA Hall of Famers Don Shaw, Rosie Wegrich, and Doug Dannevick. RSVP or sponsor a tribute by contacting SCIVBHOF@gmail.com.

USA Volleyball will celebrate Alan Knipe and Marlene Piper as All-Time Great Coaches at its 2024 Hall of Fame annual banquet and ceremony on May 22 in Columbus, Ohio. Read more about the event and other honorees here.

Volleyball MasterCoaches – Wednesday Weekly Buzz

This week we will be interviewing two very prominent club coaches: Max Miller of Mintonette VBC and Mike Lingenfelter of Munciana VBC. We will be discussing the NIT and other national qualifiers, the portal, NIL and other issues facing clubs in 2024. Tune in Wednesday on Facebook or at volleyballmastercoaches.com. Coaches can also listen to our new podcast series on iTunes.

Volleyball Coaches Insider – latest educational content includes:

• Jump Float Serve: Clean & Flat – Joe Sagula – (Retired) University of North Carolina

• Model, Teach, Test, Reward – Stephen Mackey – 2Words Character Development

• Setting Effective Goals – Colleen M. Hacker

• Click here for more Volleyball articles and videos!

The online AVCA Career Center allows job posters to advertise a job opening, search resumes, manage candidates, and market open positions. Job seekers have the opportunity to post a resume, search for open positions, create job alert notifications, and access free career management resources. Recent posts include:

• Community Engagement Leader – Side-Out Foundation
• CARA Volleyball Coach – Foothills Park and Recreation District
• Assistant Coach, Volleyball – Lehigh University
• Head Women’s Volleyball Coach – Indiana University – South Bend
• Assistant Volleyball Coach – Heidelberg University
• Assistant Volleyball Coach – Northwestern University

Coaching Hires and Contracts

Contact Alice Rogers to report a coaching transaction for At the Net.

Danielle Marante has been named the new Head Volleyball Coach for UNC Asheville.

Stephens College Athletics proudly announces the appointment of Maggie Hans as the new Head Volleyball Coach.

Jared Marks named Head Volleyball Coach
at Christian Brothers University.

Miranda Rodriguez hired as next Women’s Volleyball Head Coach at McKendree University.

Current Women’s Volleyball Head Coach Katelyn Totherow will also lead the newly announced men’s program at Regent University.

Alexandria College welcomes Heather Trosdahl as the new head coach for the Legends Volleyball team.

Jacob Hepp has been named head coach of the Lindsey Wilson volleyball program.

Brianna Maitlen will take over at the helm of Southwestern Community College’s volleyball program beginning with the team’s fall 2024 season.

Iowa State head volleyball coach Christy Johnson-Lynch will enter her 20th season leading the Cyclone program with a new contract through December 31, 2028. The two-time American Volleyball Coaches Central Region Coach of the Year guided the 2023 Cyclones to a 20-10 overall record, a fourth-place finish in the Big 12 Conference (11-7) and the program’s 17th all-time NCAA Tournament appearance.