Women's Volleyball
Frank Lavrisha

Frank Lavrisha

Title: Head Volleyball Coach
Phone Number: 303-458-4053
Email Address: flavrish@regis.edu
College: Ohio State, 1979

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

OVERALL            CONFERENCE
Year Wins Losses Win Pct. Wins Losses Win Pct. Postseason
1986 29 11 .725 13 1 .929 NCAA First Round
1987 17 12 .586 10 4 .714
1988 38 7 .844 14 0 1.000 NCAA Semifinals (4th Place)
1989 31 12 .721 11 1 .917 NCAA Quarterfinals
1990 29 15 .660 11 1 .917 NCAA Quarterfinals
1991 29 10 .744 14 0 1.000 NCAA First Round
1992 14 17 .452 8 6 .571
1993 23 13 .639 11 3 .786 NCAA Quarterfinals
1994 28 11 .718 10 2 .833 NCAA Second Round
1995 19 7 .731 12 0 1.000 NCAA First Round
1996 20 13 .606 15 4 .789 NCAA Second Round
1997 32 4 .889 18 1 .947 NCAA Quarterfinals
1998 31 4 .886 17 2 .894 NCAA Semifinals
1999 22 11 .667 17 2 .894 NCAA First Round
2000 22 10 .688 15 4 .789 NCAA Second Round
2001 24 9 .727 15 4 .789 NCAA First Round
2003 14 16 .467 11 8 .579
2004 12 16 .429 10 9 .526
2005 6 21 .222 5 14 .263
2006 16 13 .551 13 6 .684
2007 11 17 .392 9 10 .474
2008 19 12 .613 12 7 .632 NCAA First Round
2009 14 14 .500 12 7 .632  
2010 17 12 .586 11 7 .611  
Totals 517 287 .643 294 103 .741
Women's Volleyball
Joel List

Joel List

Title: Assistant Volleyball Coach
Phone Number: 303-458-4054
Email Address: jlist@regis.edu
College: Nebraska-Kearney (2001)

Joel List begins his sixth season in 2011 as Frank Lavrisha's top assistant coach and recruiting coordinator at Regis.  A native of Ogallala, Neb., List now calls Denver home after coaching stints in Nebraska, Kansas, and Illinois. List's coaching and job experiences make him a well rounded assistant.

The 2011 season is the start of List's ninth season as an assistant coach at the collegiate level. He spent the 2003 and 2004 seasons as the assistant coach/recruiting coordinator at former RMAC opponent, Fort Hays State. List moved on from FHSU in 2004, after helping the Tigers to a 31-5 record and a #11 national ranking his last season. He also volunteered with the University of Nebraska-Kearney's women's volleyball team from 1999-2001.

List's coaching opportunities have ranged from middle school teams to international competition. Prior to coming to Regis, in the spring of 2006, List served as head coach for the Avalanche Volleyball Club in Plainfield, Illinois. In addition to coaching club volleyball in the Chicago area, he has been involved with club volleyball scene in Nebraska for three years and in Denver for two.

List's coaching experiences don't end at the club level.  He had the opportunity to experience the international competition of volleyball by coaching with the non-profit organization, USA Athletes International, in Holland and Germany.  His early coaching experiences began while teaching math and coaching at a middle school near Omaha, Nebraska. While in Omaha, List was a volunteer assistant at Papillion-La Vista High School in 2001 where the team finished with a Class A State Championship and a record of 40-1.

Besides assisting with on court and recruiting duties, List serves as the program's strength and conditioning coach. A 2001 graduate with a bachelor's degree in education and coaching from Nebraska-Kearney, and went on to complete his master's in exercise science from Fort Hayes State.  List is a member of the American Volleyball Coaches Association and the National Strength and Conditioning Association.

Joel resides in Denver with his wife Leslie and their dog Lulu.

Women's Volleyball
Paul Martin

Paul Martin

Title: Assistant Volleyball Coach
College: UCLA (1976) Univ. of Wisconsin (1988)

Paul Martin is in his fourth season as an assistant volleyball coach at Regis in 2011.  He helped lead the Rangers to the 2008 NCAA National Tournament in his first season on the bench. 

Martin began his volleyball coaching career in 1996 with the former Boulder Volleyball Club.  Along with Darren Swanson, he guided the 1997-98 BVC 15-Gold to a regional title and a spot in the Junior National Championships.
Martin has held various volleyball coaching positions over the years; one of the most rewarding being coach of a Boulder based Special Olympics team.
Martin is a Pittsburgh, Penn. native and a huge Penguins hockey fan.