VSU's Rich Receives AVCA Minority Coaches Scholarship

VSU's Rich Receives AVCA Minority Coaches Scholarship

October 24, 2011

Virginia State University’s head volleyball coach, Ivana Rich has been chosen as one of 12 recipients of the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) 2011 Minority Coaches Scholarship. Thanks to a grant provided by the NCAA, these 12 individuals will have the opportunity to participate in the ninth professional coaching workshop for minority women, to be held in conjunction with the 2011 AVCA Annual Convention in San Antonio, Texas.
 
In her first season as head coach of the Lady Trojans volleyball team, Rich is one of two recipients from the CIAA along with Brenda Brown of Elizabeth City State University. “I am so excited to attend the convention for the first time and I am very blessed to have received the AVCA Minority Scholarship. I am super excited about the wealth of knowledge, resources and networking opportunities that will be available. I am most excited about gaining knowledge that will enable me to become a better coach as well as a better leader,“ says Rich.
 
“After receiving one of the largest number of applicants, the Minority Coaches Committee is excited to name 12 new up and coming coaches as recipients of the NCAA/AVCA Minority Coaches Scholarship,” said Deitre Collins-Parker, head volleyball coach at San Diego State University, and chairperson of the AVCA Minority Coaches Committee.  “We have a diverse group of young women that include top collegiate players, current high school and club coaches.  Many of our coaches are currently working as collegiate assistants at competitive programs.  The scholarship recipients will be a part of the Minority Coaches workshop at the 2011 AVCA Convention in San Antonio, as well as the NCAA youth clinic.  They will also have the opportunity to attend the AVCA convention and rub shoulders with top collegiate coaches.  We are confident we have chosen 12 young women with bright futures in the sport of volleyball.  We are grateful to the NCAA for! providing the opportunity to Recruit, Retain and Educate minority coaches.”

Per NCAA Grant requirements, eligible attendees must be minority women intent on pursuing volleyball coaching at an NCAA institution as a head or assistant coach.  Workshop attendees do not need to currently hold such a position, but must aspire to enter the NCAA collegiate coaching field. The grant will cover the airfare and hotel expenses for 12 first-time workshop attendees up to $800. In addition, the grant money will be used to cover the hard costs of convention registration for each of the participants. Prime candidates for this program are college seniors, high school and club coaches looking for college jobs, DII, DIII, NAIA and junior college assistants willing to move to head coaching positions, and DI second assistant and graduate assistants. Minority men are a secondary target for this program.   

Scholarship recipients attending the AVCA Convention will have the opportunity to interact with other coaches who have had success at all levels, and explore the limitless networking and educational opportunities available at Convention that make this an annual can’t-miss event for volleyball coaches at all levels.

The 2011 Minority Coaches Scholarship recipients are:
Brenda Brown - Head Coach at Elizabeth City State University
Ivana Rich - Head Coach & SWA at Virginia State University
Brittany Williams - Assistant Coach at South Carolina State University
Jennifer Charles - Assistant Coach at Midland College
Crystal Hudson - Assistant Coach at University of West Alabama
Mekana Barnes - University of Albany
Vicki Brown - Volunteer Assistant/Assistant 16’s Coach at University of Toledo/Toledo VBC
Jaye Loyd - Director of Operations/Assistant Sand Coach at Tulane University
Makini Thompson - Volunteer Assistant Coach at Virginia Commonwealth University
Nyeshia Aldridge - Interim Head Coach at University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff
Cynammon Burns - Assistant Coach at Loyola University-Maryland
Catherine Geerlings - Agnes Scott College