Saint Aug’s Mortimer Wins CIAA Volleyball Coach of the Year Award
Saint Aug’s Mortimer Wins CIAA Volleyball Coach of the Year Award
November 4, 2010
NEWPORT NEWS, Va. - After much success as an assistant coach,
Covance Mortimer of Saint Augustine’s College was recognized
for his works as a head coach Thursday.
The CIAA named Mortimer the 2010 women’s volleyball coach of
the year for directing the Lady Falcons to the Southern Division
championship. It was their first division title since 2003, when
Mortimer was an assistant for the Lady Falcons.
“I attribute winning the award to the players and assistant
coaches,” Mortimer said. “It is as much their award as
it is mine.”
The CIAA Championships start Friday at the Boo Williams Sportsplex
in Hampton, Va. The semifinals are Saturday and the finals are set
for Sunday. The Lady Falcons are the Southern Division No. 1
seed.
Mortimer, a 2000 graduate of Saint Augustine’s College, was
honored along with his team at the Volleyball Championship Banquet
held at Newport News Marriott at the City Center. Awards were also
handed out to the league’s player and rookie of the year in
addition to the All-CIAA teams. The Lady Falcons placed a
league-high six student-athletes on the all-conference squads
including five on the first team.
The All-CIAA student-athletes from Saint Augustine’s College
were Kathryn Tokarski (Jr./Saskatchewan, Canada), Brittany Hicks
(Soph./Louisburg, N.C.), Nicolette Campbell (Jr./Nassau, Bahamas),
Keisha Parris (Jr./St. Catherine, Jamaica), Roxanne Smith (Jr./St.
Catherine, Jamaica) and Stephony Newkirk (Sr./Greenville, N.C.).
The Lady Falcons also received a plaque for winning the Southern
Division crown.
The Lady Falcons finished the regular season 22-8 overall, marking
the second consecutive year they reached the 20-win plateau. They
were 10-0 against Southern Division opponents – one of two
CIAA teams to finish unbeaten in the division - and 7-0 at home in
Emery Gymnasium. Their CIAA record was an impressive 15-2 which was
third-best in the league.
The Lady Falcons have improved each season since Mortimer became
head coach in 2007. They reached the CIAA Tournament semifinals the
past two seasons after winning 9 matches in Mortimer’s first
year. The Lady Falcons won 20 matches in 2009 for the first time in
six years.
Since Mortimer took over the program, the Lady Falcons have placed
12 student-athletes on the All-CIAA team and four student-athletes
on the All-CIAA rookie squad. The Lady Falcons also won the CIAA
team highest grade point average award in volleyball.
In three seasons, Mortimer has collected eight CIAA volleyball
coach of the week awards, and the Lady Falcons have earned 16 CIAA
volleyball player of the week honors.
Before taking over as head coach, Mortimer was the Lady Falcons’ assistant coach from 1995 through 2006. During that period, the Lady Falcons won five CIAA volleyball titles.
