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

For the 15th time in his illustrious career, Head Coach Frank Lavrisha guided the Regis Rangers to a 20-win season following a 26-9 record in 2012.  The Rangers were runner-up in the RMAC regular season with a 16-3 mark, the most wins in the RMAC for Regis since 1999.  The Rangers then captured the RMAC Tournament Championship with an exciting win over Colorado Mines.  

Subsequently, the Rangers earned the #1 seed in the NCAA South Central Region tournament and served as the host site.  Regis defeated cross-town rival Metro State in the first round before being defeated by Angelo State in the second round.

It marked the 21st time in 26 seasons that a Lavrisha led team had a .500 or better record.  

The Rangers again narrowly missed an NCAA berth and finished with an overall mark of 21-9 and finished 12-6 in the RMAC in 2011.  Competing in the Central Region for the final time, arguably the toughest Division II volleyball region in the country, the Rangers finished with the third best record in the RMAC.

In 2010, Lavrisha led the senior-laden team to a fifth place finish in the RMAC with an overall record of 17-12.  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 2013 season, his 27th total, Lavrisha ranks 10th amongst active Division II coaches with his 564 victories against just 305 losses (.649)  He has the 18th most wins ever in Division II history.

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.

Additionally, Lavrisha has guided his teams to NCAA Division II post-season play 16 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 322-112 (.742) 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 246 of his 564 victories at the eclectic fieldhouse against just 91 losses for a .730 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.

In 2012, the Rangers posted their best home record, 15-2, since the 1998 team went 16-1.

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 11 conference titles
  • Has led teams to three undefeated conference seasons
  • 564-305 career record in 26 seasons (.649 winning percentage)
  • 322-112 career record in conference matches (.742 winning percentage)
  • 15 seasons of 20-or-more victories
  • Has led teams to NCAA II post-season 16 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  
2011 21 9 .700 12 6 .667  
2012 26 9 .743 16 3 .842 RMAC Tourney Champs/NCAA 2nd Round
Totals 564 305 .649 322 112 .742
Joel List
Joel List
Title: Assistant Volleyball Coach
Phone: 303-458-4054
Email: jlist@regis.edu
College: Nebraska-Kearney (2001)

Joel List begins his eighth season in 2013 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 2013 season is the start of List's 11th season as an assistant coach at the collegiate level. He spent the 2003 and 2004 seasons as the assistant coach/recruiting coordinator at Fort Hays State University. 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 involvement has ranged from training middle school teams to international competition. List has been the head coach for several years in the club scene. He was involved with club volleyball in Nebraska for three years, Illinois for one, and is currently coaching with the club scene here in Denver. Prior to coming to Regis, in the spring of 2006, List was a personal trainer and manager of a strength and fitness facility in the Chicago area.

List's coaching experiences extended outside the club and collegiate levels.  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.  List was exposed to volleyball in elementary school because his father was a coach. 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 University.  List is a member of the American Volleyball Coaches Association.

Joel resides in Denver with his wife Leslie and daughter Lilly.

Mekana Barnes
Mekana Barnes
Title: Graduate Assistant Volleyball Coach
Email: mbarnes001@regis.edu
College: Colorado State, 2009

Former USA Volleyball team member Mekana Barnes enters her second season as graduate assistant in 2013.  Barnes who formerly was a volunteer assistant for Regis during the 2010-11 season, comes to Regis after one season at the University of Albany.  Barnes works primarily with the middle hitters and also helps with recruiting and the popular Regis Volleyball Camps. 

Barnes graduated from Colorado State in 2009 where she was a 2007 Third Team AVCA All-American.  She played four years for the Rams at middle blocker where she was a three-time All-Mountain West Conference performer.  She ranks second in total blocks (571) and block assists (518) while also ranking third at CSU averaging 1.36 blocks per set.  In 2007 she was named the Mountain West Conference Player of the Year.

She helped lead Colorado State to four straight NCAA Tournament berths and following her senior season was a member of the USA Volleyball National Team that competed abroad.  Twice, she led the Rams to the Moutain West Conference Championship.  

Barnes also went overseas and played professionaly in Spain and Puerto Rico super leagues in 2010 and 2011.  She helped lead the Albany to a 21-9 record in 2011 including being undefeated at home including an America East Conference championship and a berth in the NCAA Tournament.

Barnes will work specifically with middle blockers and will help with all the day-to-day operations for the Regis volleyball team.

Barnes lives in Centennial, Colo.

Paul Martin
Paul Martin
Title: Assistant Volleyball Coach
Email: emartin003@regis.edu
College: UCLA (1976) Univ. of Wisconsin (1988)

Paul Martin is in his sixth season as an assistant volleyball coach at Regis in 2013.  He helped lead the Rangers to the 2008 NCAA National Tournament in his first season on the bench and last season helped them return to the NCAA Tournament.  Martin's primary on-court duties include development and growth of the Regis servers. 

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 Pittsburgh Penguins hockey fan.