LEXINGTON, KENTUCKY (March 8, 2024) — The American Volleyball Coaches Association is pleased to announce the addition of three people to its Board of Directors. The new representatives joining the association’s 2024 Board include:
- Nancy Mueller of the University of the South, Sewanee, NCAA Division III Women’s Representative
- Matt Ulmer of the University of Oregon, Awards Representative
- Grace McNamara of the Big Ten Conference, At-Large Representative
Mueller, who has been coaching for the past three decades, is in her seventh season as the head coach of Tiger volleyball. The multi-time Coach of the Year honoree has earned more than 250 career victories, and her teams have made multiple appearances in the NCAA Volleyball Championship. She will serve as the Division III representative on the AVCA Board through the end of 2026.
Ulmer has reinvigorated the Oregon volleyball program since he took over in Eugene in 2017. His teams have reached the NCAA tournament quarterfinals the past two seasons, as well as in 2018, and the Ducks have won 67 percent of their matches under his watch. Ulmer will head up the AVCA’s Division I women’s volleyball All-American/Coach of the Year selection committee.
McNamara brings a range of experience to the AVCA Board. A former volleyball student-athlete at Saint Louis University and graduate assistant coach at the University of Louisville, she now serves as the senior director–television administration and women’s volleyball sports administrator with the Big Ten Conference. She was responsible for conceptualizing and executing the Big Ten Volleyball Media Days, a first-of-its-kind event that debuted in 2022.
The three were appointed by new AVCA Board of Directors President Kirsten Bernthal Booth, who took over Jan. 1, 2024, as association president when Keegan Cook transitioned to past president. They are part of the AVCA Board, which includes a blend of elected representatives and appointed members
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About the American Volleyball Coaches Association
The association’s mission is to advance the sport of volleyball with AVCA coaches at the epicenter of leadership, advocacy, and professional development. The membership includes more than 9,500 collegiate, professional, high school, club, and youth volleyball coaches—primarily in the United States. The AVCA represents women’s volleyball, men’s volleyball, and beach volleyball coaches, and works to increase exposure and recognition for the sport of volleyball.
