Calvin’s Warners, Salisbury’s Stansbury named AVCA national coaches of the year

Calvin head coach Amber Warners was named AVCA national coach of the year. Salisbury’s Melissa Stansbury was named AVCA national assistant coach of the year.

The entire AVCA COY release

“Say what now,” you say? True, it’s been tradition that the coach of the national champion is named national coach of the year. Last year Wittenberg’s Paco Labrador deservedly earned the honor after the Tigers’ title. The AVCA even disregarded its own rule that the national COY comes from the eight regional COY winners. Labrador was not a regional COY last season. I applauded (in written form) the AVCA last year when Labrador was named the COY honoree despite not being a regional COY.

I know that national champion St. Thomas had an agreement – Tommies head coach Thanh Pham mentioned it a presser at nationals – that players would not be put forward for individual awards. But we all know how that turned out. Several Tommies were named to conference, regional and All-America teams. The explanation that makes most sense is that Pham expressly stated that he did want the AVCA national COY award after the commitment his players made this season. It’s pure conjecture at this point, but it may be the case.

All of that aside, on to the actual award winners. Warners led Calvin to a No. 1 ranking in the AVCA poll heading into the NCAA tournament and the No. 1 seed in the ultra-deep Great Lakes Region. I’m sure we all remember that St. Thomas defeated Calvin in five sets in the national championship match. This is the second AVCA national COY award (2010) for Warners in her 11 seasons as Calvin head coach.

Stansbury helped lead Salisbury to its first finals appearance. Stansbury is a former Salisbury player and specializes in recruiting, scouting and working with the Sea Gull middles, according to the AVCA release.

-Ricky Nelson