AVCA First Serve Recap
The first match of AVCA First Serve Showcase went to Nebraska. The No. 2 Huskers took down No. 9 Kentucky 3-1. Then, No. 6 Louisville held serve, beating No. 3 Wisconsin, 3-1 in front of a crowd of 9,280 at the KFC Yum! Center.
The American Volleyball Coaches Association is pleased to announce the 2024 AVCA All-America Watch List and 2024 AVCA Phenom Watch List!
Uncommitted athletes will be invited to attend the AVCA Phenom College Prep Program December 19-21, 2024, in Louisville, KY. Invitations to register will be emailed on September 25, 2024.
NOTE: Collegiate partner rankings are not managed by the AVCA.
2024 NAIA Women’s Volleyball Coaches Top 25 Rating
- Preseason – August 14
- Rating #1 – September 4
NCCAA Poll Schedule
- 2024 DI Women’s Volleyball Coaches – First Poll September 17
- 2024 DII Women’s Volleyball Coaches – First Poll September 10
Two-Year College Polls: Coming soon
2024 MaxPreps/AVCA Girls High School Players of the Week Award
GameChanger/AVCA Players of the Week: Debut Schedule
- Division I – Sept. 2
- Division II – Sept. 9
- Division III – Sept. 2
- Two-Year College – Aug. 28
The NFHS released their latest high school sport sponsorship and participation report for the 2023-24 high school year. Girls volleyball saw an increase of 7,637 participants, for a total of 479,125 nationwide. Outdoor track and field, volleyball and soccer all registered increases and remained the top three participatory sports for girls.
Boys volleyball participation grew to 85,255, nearly 8,000 more than last year. Over the past five years, boys high school volleyball continues to be the fastest growing team sport by percentage in the country. Since 2005, boys volleyball has nearly doubled in participation.
Women’s Sitting Team Eyeing Three-peat at 2024 Paralympics
The U.S. Women have medaled in every Paralympic Games since women’s sitting was added to the slate in 2004. After winning bronze in Athens, they took silver in 2008 and silver again in London in 2016. The team finally broke through with a sweep over China for the gold at the 2016 Games in Rio, and followed it with gold over China again in Tokyo. The Paralympic Games open TODAY, Aug. 28 with the Opening Ceremony, live on USA and Peaco*ck at 1 p.m. ET.
USA Volleyball is proud to announce that sitting volleyball athlete Nicky Nieves has been elected as one of the two flag bearers for the Opening Ceremony of the Paralympic Games Paris 2024. Nieves was pivotal in helping Team USA secure its first Paralympic gold medal in sitting volleyball at the Rio Games in 2016.
In addition to her athletic excellence, Nieves has been vocal about the importance of mental health and disability advocacy.
70 Team USA Paralympians hold NCAA connections, including 4 members of the US Women’s Sitting Volleyball team.
USA Volleyball Updates
Return to the court: University of Illinois’ Taylor De Boer’s health journey
A rising star in the volleyball world, De Boer was gearing up to play at the University of Illinois in 2023. But Taylor started having health problems. Taylor was sent to OSF Children’s Hospital of Illinois in Peoria. There, it was discovered she had Anti-Neutrophil Cytoplasmic Antibody (ANCA) Vasculitis. With close monitoring, Taylor is ready to compete in the upcoming season.
Celebrate the Wins – Time to Order Your AVCA Awards! It’s never too early to start recognizing greatness—order your awards now and let your team shine bright! Plus, order your own custom trophies, branded apparel, gifts, and more!
“SURVEY SUNDAY” One Question Member Survey
Weekly through September 29, the AVCA will will send out a one question survey – designed to take less than one minute of your time! Help the AVCA learn more about our community and improve member services. Each week, all participants will go into a drawing for one $50.00 VISA gift card. The Week 6 (August 18) winner of the $50.00 Visa Gift Card is: Kyle Exline, Head Men’s Volleyball Coach, North Central College (IL)!All who participated each of the 12 weeks will go into a Grand Prize drawing for a 2024 AVCA Complimentary Full Convention Registration Certificate! Questions? research@avca.org 866-544-2822.
Volleyball 4 All is a philanthropic fund established by the AVCA to support scholarships, social programs, and grassroot initiatives. The AVCA annually supports coaches who are entering the profession, providing them with the opportunity to attend the AVCA Convention and linking them with mentorship and other professional development opportunities. These three scholarship programs are entirely funded by the volleyball coaching community:
- Coaches 4 Coaches
- Diversity Awards
- Student Athlete Demonstrator Scholarship
AVCA Convention – Register by September 20 to save $100! Plus, get early access to discounted hotel rooms and NCAA match tickets. Join us in Louisville, Kentucky December 18-22 for:
- Over 120 court and classroom education sessions
- Networking opportunities, social events, and awards celebrations
- World’s largest volleyball exhibit show
- Career Center: job postings, salary information, career counseling
- Recruiting events: Girls’ Talent Showcase and Boys’ Talent Showcase
- Watch the NCAA Women’s Division I Championship
Check out “Breathing Life Into Old Drills” presented by Skutt Catholic (NE) High School Head Coach Renee Saunders during the 2024 AVCA Coach of the Year Super Clinic presented by Coaches Insider. Purchase access to other top coaches and stream AVCA Super Clinic sessions on-demand at your leisure.
- What You Need to Know About a European Volleyball Player
The Importance of Relational Coaching for the Modern Athlete
- Underwater Statistical Analysis: How Much is Actually Going on Under the Surface?
- Developing your new boys program: Creating culture, practice plans and goals
AVCA Events
- 2024 AVCA Convention
- Register by September 20 to save $100
- Register by September 20 to save $100
- AVCA Fall Collegiate Beach National Championships
- November 14-17, 2024
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:
- Assistant Athletic Director – Dexter Volleyball Club
- Quincy University Logo – Head Mens Volleyball Coach
Brandon Hapgood named Head Coach of Elms College Men’s and Women’s Volleyball.
Neilee’ Newton named Head Volleyball Coach at Alverno College.
SUBMIT A COACHING TRANSACTION
The JVA is giving $200,000 Back to JVA Girls, Boys and Beach Clubs!
We are accepting applications through October 15 for beach programs and August 31st for indoor programs. We’ve increased the sponsorship amount for most of the Sponsor Levels! If your club has a girls or boys program AND a beach program you can APPLY FOR BOTH!
Attacking Drills to Train Proper Technique and Eliminate Bad Habits
To develop proper attacking technique it’s important to break down specific steps for athletes to follow. Repetition on proper technique will create good habits as will reception on improper technique will create bad habits. Here are drills to train proper attacking habits, and eliminate the bad ones.
Latest educational content includes:
Defensive Drill vs. Live Attacker & BOSU Ball – Kaylee Prigge – University of Wyoming
Pressure Serving Drills – Becky Edwards – Lancaster Central High School (NY)
The Team! The Team! The Team! – Jamy Bechler
