Chris Catanach Named South Region Coach of the Year as Five Spartans Honored

LEXINGTON, Ky. - The nation's top-ranked team continued to earn more accolades as the University of Tampa head volleyball coach Chris Catanach was tabbed the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) South Region Coach of the Year.

A total of four student-athletes also received honors as Meagan Burke, Marissa Lisenbee, Holly Reschke and Berkley Whaley were named all-region. Jessica Wagner was also named an honorable mention performer.

When it comes to volleyball coaches at any level in this country, you'd be hard-pressed to find a better one than Tampa's Chris Catanach. Now in his 30th year at the helm of the Spartans, he boasts a career 935- 165 record and UT is the current No. 1 team in the nation according to the latest AVCA Division II Coaches Top-25 Poll. They will play host to the eight-team NCAA Division II Volleyball South Regional this week looking for its fifth consecutive regional championship. Tampa has dominated the Sunshine State Conference, completing the last two regular seasons without a loss spanning 36 matches. This marks Catanach's unprecedented 13th AVCA Region Coach of the Year honor, winning in 1996, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009 and 2010.

2013 AVCA All-South Region
Becca Acevedo, Palm Beach Atlantic University
Christina Alessi, Palm Beach Atlantic University
Jenny Bellairs, University of West Florida
Lindsay Biggs, Eckerd College
Meagan Burke, University of Tampa
Alexis Gillis, Christian Brothers University
Melissa Holt, University of West Georgia
Lindsay Homme, University of West Florida
Camille Indest, Rollins College
Marissa Lisenbee, University of Tampa
Jaclyn Mailoto, Saint Leo University
Holly Reschke, University of Tampa
Faith Rohn, Palm Beach Atlantic University
Berkley Whaley, University of Tampa

AVCA Division II South Region Coach of the Year: Chris Catanach, Tampa
Region Freshman of the Year: Brinsley Cooper, Christian Brothers, MB

Honorable Mention: Melissa Buckingham (Palm Beach Atlantic, L, Jr.), Lauren Campbell (Saint Leo, OH, Jr.), Jenna Kirkwood (Valdosta St., OH, Jr.), Kendall Marotti (Florida Southern, S, So.), Katarina Milojevic (Eckerd, MB, Jr.), Jessica Wagner (Tampa, MB, So.)