Frank Lavrisha enters his 22nd season as head coach of the Regis
University women's volleyball team in 2007, marking the longest
tenure of any mentor in the 29-year history of the program.
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 21 seasons at the helm, Lavrisha has
compiled a 456-232 overall record for a remarkable .662 winning
percentage. Additionally, Lavrisha has guided his teams to NCAA II
post-season play 14 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
250-72 (.776) record in conference matches will attest to.
Moreover, Lavrisha's teams have secured nine conference titles in
his 18 seasons at the helm. Only once during the Lavrisha era, the
Rangers have finished lower than fourth in a conference season and
have only finished below the .500 mark three times. 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.
Lavrisha has produced 14 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 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
Five-time conference Coach of the Year
Has won nine conference titles
Has led team to three undefeated conference seasons
456-232 career record in 21 seasons (.662 winning percentage)
250-72 career record in conference matches (.776 winning
percentage)
Has led team to NCAA II post-season 14 times in 18 years
Has led team to NCAA II Elite Eight National Tournament six
times
Has produced 14 AVCA All-Americans and one AVCA Player of the
Year
Coached West Team to the gold medal at the 1991 U.S. Olympic
Festival
Joel List begins his third season as Frank Lavrisha's top
assistant coach and recruiting coordinator at Regis. A native
of Ogallala, Nebraska, 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 2008 season is
the start of List's fifth 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.
