Frank Lavrisha enters his 25th season as head coach of the Regis University women's volleyball team in 2011, marking the longest tenure of any mentor in the 31-year history of the program. 

In 2010, Lavrisha led the senior-laden team to a fifth place finish in the RMAC with an overall record of 17-12.  It marks the 19th time in 25 seasons that a Lavrisha led team had a .500 or better record.  The Rangers made it to the semifinals of the RMAC Tournament before falling to RMAC Champion Nebraska-Kearney.  The Rangers narrowly missed a return trip to the NCAA Tournament.

Heading into the 2011 season, Lavrisha ranks 11th amongst active Division II coaches with his 517 victories against just 287 losses.  He has the 24th most wins ever in Division II history and with 11 more wins will move up to 22nd.

Following a six-year absence from NCAA Tournament play, Lavrisha guided the Rangers back in 2008 completing an improbable late season run.  The Rangers finished as the five seed after the regular season but were able to win the RMAC Tournament and earn the programs 15th berth to the NCAA Division II Tournament.  The Rangers fell in four sets to eventual national champion Concordia-St. Paul.

Lavrisha and success have been constant companions since the Ohio State University graduate took the reigns of the program prior to the 1986 season. Lavrisha has twice (1994 and 1997) been named the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) Northwest Region Coach of the Year. In 1988, he led the Rangers to a 38-7 record and was selected NCAA II National Coach of the Year by Volleyball Monthly. In addition to his national honors, Lavrisha has received conference Coach of the Year accolades six times.

The recognition that Lavrisha and his programs have received has been well deserved. In 24 seasons at the helm, Lavrisha has compiled a 517-287 overall record for a remarkable .643 winning percentage. He became just the 11th active and 25th coach ever to reach the 500 mile plateau in NCAA Division II history, hitting the plateau in the second to last regular season game of the 2009 season.

Additionally, Lavrisha has guided his teams to NCAA Division II post-season play 15 times and has advanced to the NCAA II Elite Eight six times. At 1998's Elite Eight, Lavrisha's Rangers came within a game of advancing to the championship match - enduring a five-game heartbreaker to North Dakota State University in the semifinals.

Lavrisha's squads have been dominant in conference play, as his 294-103 (.741) record in conference matches will attest to. Moreover, Lavrisha's teams have secured nine conference titles in both the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference and the now-defunct Colorado Divide and Colorado Athletic Conferences. Lavrisha has guided Regis to three undefeated conference schedules, amassing perfect 14-0 records in 1988 and 1991, followed by a 12-0 mark in 1995 all in the CAC.

Opposing teams have not fared well at the Regis Fieldhouse against Lavrisha's teams.  He has won 221 of his 517 victories at the eclectic fieldhouse against just 83 losses for a .727 winning percentage.  He has had only two losing seasons at home and in 1986, 1988 and 1997 his squads went undefeated at home.  Four other teams lost just one game at home and from 1997-99 the Rangers went 48-3 inside the friendly confines of the Regis Fieldhouse.

Lavrisha has produced 15 AVCA All-Americans and six GTE / CoSIDA Academic All-Americans during his time at Regis. Included in both groups is former RU setter Melinda Almazan, who in 1998, earned Regis' first national Player of the Year award when the AVCA honored her as its NCAA II Most Valuable Player. In June of 1999, Almazan brought even more national attention to the RU volleyball program when the American Honda Company selected her for its NCAA II Athlete of the Year.

Lavrisha is well-tied to the national volleyball community, as well. He has twice served as a U.S. Olympic Festival head coach, taking him to Oklahoma City in 1989 and Los Angeles in 1991. At the L.A. Festival, Lavrisha led his West squad to the gold medal. Even more, Lavrisha had a taste of international competition in 1994, leading the U.S. "B" team on a tour of the Orient.

Lavrisha also assisted the USA Youth National Team to the NORCECA Championship in 2006 and the World Championships in 2007.

Lavrisha resides in Louisville with his wife, Maggie. The couple has three children, Michael, Kristina and Nikolas.

Lavrisha Highlights:

• 1988 Volleyball Monthly NCAA Division II Coach of the Year

• Six-time conference Coach of the Year

• Has won 10 conference titles

• Has led teams to three undefeated conference seasons

• 517-287 career record in 24 seasons (.643 winning percentage)

• 294-103 career record in conference matches (.741 winning percentage)

• 13 seasons of 20-or-more victories

• Has led teams to NCAA II post-season 15 times

• Has led teams to NCAA II Elite Eight National Tournament six times

• Has produced 15 AVCA All-Americans and one AVCA Player of the Year

• Coached West Team to the gold medal at the 1991 U.S. Olympic Festival