Beerman Named AVCA Northeast Region Coach of the Year
12/10/2003 12:00:00 AM | Volleyball
Beerman Named AVCA Northeast Region Coach of the Year
12/10/2003
PITTSBURGH ?
Beerman was chosen as the AVCA Northeast Region Coach of the Year after leading the Panthers to a 26-6 mark, the Big East regular-season and tournament titles and a second-round berth in the NCAA Championships, their first trip since 1994. The 26 victories were the Panthers? most since the 1991 campaign and marked Beerman?s third 20-win season in just four seasons at the helm. He was also selected the Big East Conference Co-Coach of the Year last month.
In addition, senior Wendy Hatlestad, junior Megan Miller and sophomore Megan McGrane earned AVCA All-Northeast Region honors. Both Hatlestad (Roseville, Minn./Roseville Area) and Miller (Milford, Conn./Jonathan Law) were named to the All-Northeast Region Team, while McGrane (Muncie, Ind./Delta), the only libero to earn Northeast Region honors, was named Honorable Mention All-AVCA Northeast Region.
Hatlestad earned her second All-AVCA honor after being chosen as a sophomore in 2001. The Big East Player of the Year and All-Big East First Team selection, Hatlestad broke a Pittsburgh record for most kills in a season with 555 and finished her career second on the Panthers? all-time kills list with 1,681 in her four seasons.
Miller is an AVCA All-Northeast Region selection for the first time after leading the Panthers with a .361 hitting percentage and 109 blocks. She was chosen as the Big East Tournament Most Outstanding Player after recording 30 kills, eight digs and seven blocks in the two Panthers? victories. Miller is the Panthers? most accurate hitter of all time with a .358 mark.
McGrane was voted the inaugural Big East Libero of the Year after recording a school-record 595 digs in 2003, breaking her own mark of 495 as a freshman in 2002. In just two years, McGrane has 1,090 digs, good for fifth in the Panthers? annals. She has finished in the top 10 among Division I players in digs per game both years.
All AVCA All-Region honorees are automatically eligible for All-America consideration. The AVCA will release the All-America teams and the National Freshman of the Year honors on Wednesday, December 17. There will be 48 athletes chosen - 12 each per a first, second and third team and honorable mention status.