VB’s McGuyre Named AVCA National Coach of the Year
12/19/2019 1:46:00 PM | Volleyball
McGuyre earns national honor after guiding the Bears to the program’s first NCAA semifinals appearance and Big 12 championship
PITTSBURGH – Baylor volleyball head coach Ryan McGuyre is the 2019 USMC/AVCA Division I National Coach of the Year, announced by the organization Thursday afternoon.
McGuyre earns the program's first national honor after also being named the Big 12 and Southwest Region Player of the Year this season.
"Like all the awards this season, this truly is a team award," McGuyre said. "Shelby Livingstone, Jason Williams and Samantha Erger have been phenomenal this season. I've done much less this year and they have done so much more and at an elite level."
After arriving at Baylor in 2015, McGuyre has turned the Bears in a Big 12 and national title contender. McGuyre's squads have compiled four consecutive 20-win seasons, a No. 1 AVCA national ranking, the program's first Big 12 championship title and a trip to the NCAA National Semifinals since his arrival.
"I am honored to share this with a team that is deeply dear to my heart," McGuyre said. "When it is all said and done, I hope that in most days I have been a great assistant coach at Baylor. As a team, we see God as our head coach. So, unto Him may there be all glory, honor and praise."
McGuyre has coached nine AVCA All-America selections, 11 All-Region honorees, 18 All-Big 12 awardees and 39 Academic All-Big 12 selections at Baylor.
During his 10-year coaching stint at Cal Baptist from 2002-11, McGuyre was named the 2005 NAIA Men's National Coach of the Year and in 2011 the NCCAA Division I National Coach of the Year. In 2010, he made history by being named both the AVCA Men's and Women's NAIA National Coach of the Year in the same calendar year.
The Bears face No. 4 seed and fifth-ranked Wisconsin in the NCAA National Semifinals today at 6 p.m. CT at PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh. The match will be televised on ESPN.
Fans can follow postseason action in Pittsburgh with the team's Facebook, Twitter and Instagram accounts: @BaylorVBall.
FULL STATEMENT FROM COACH MCGUYRE
"Like all the awards this season, this truly is a team award. Shelby Livingstone, Jason Williams and Samantha Erger have been phenomenal this season. I've done much less this year and they have done so much more and at an elite level. What Sam has accomplished this season with our offense while still passionately teaching all skills has been simply astonishing and inspiring for our team. Jason's sharp mind and ability to communicate has led us to be the best defense in conference this season. Shelby's perspective as a recent college athlete combined with her maturity has been immensely valuable. Most importantly, Kellianne Layton has been the heart and soul of our staff. She is the glue that keeps us together, the encourager that points us back towards Christ and the organizer that keeps us on track.
I would not be the coach I am today if it were not for my beautiful wife. She truly brings out the best coach in me. She challenges me always, provides exceptional insight into things I don't see, gives me all the right things to say and rarely gets any of the credit.
Most importantly, as coaches, we are only as good as the athletes we coach. The leadership on this 2019 team is extraordinary. They seek Christ and His ways and apply His principals to their lives. As result, they have become incredible women of influence and have brought out the best in me and one another. I am honored to share this with a team that is deeply dear to my heart. When it is all said and done, I hope that in most days I have been a great assistant coach at Baylor. As a team, we see God as our head coach. So, unto Him may there be all glory, honor and praise."
McGuyre earns the program's first national honor after also being named the Big 12 and Southwest Region Player of the Year this season.
"Like all the awards this season, this truly is a team award," McGuyre said. "Shelby Livingstone, Jason Williams and Samantha Erger have been phenomenal this season. I've done much less this year and they have done so much more and at an elite level."
After arriving at Baylor in 2015, McGuyre has turned the Bears in a Big 12 and national title contender. McGuyre's squads have compiled four consecutive 20-win seasons, a No. 1 AVCA national ranking, the program's first Big 12 championship title and a trip to the NCAA National Semifinals since his arrival.
"I am honored to share this with a team that is deeply dear to my heart," McGuyre said. "When it is all said and done, I hope that in most days I have been a great assistant coach at Baylor. As a team, we see God as our head coach. So, unto Him may there be all glory, honor and praise."
McGuyre has coached nine AVCA All-America selections, 11 All-Region honorees, 18 All-Big 12 awardees and 39 Academic All-Big 12 selections at Baylor.
During his 10-year coaching stint at Cal Baptist from 2002-11, McGuyre was named the 2005 NAIA Men's National Coach of the Year and in 2011 the NCCAA Division I National Coach of the Year. In 2010, he made history by being named both the AVCA Men's and Women's NAIA National Coach of the Year in the same calendar year.
The Bears face No. 4 seed and fifth-ranked Wisconsin in the NCAA National Semifinals today at 6 p.m. CT at PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh. The match will be televised on ESPN.
Fans can follow postseason action in Pittsburgh with the team's Facebook, Twitter and Instagram accounts: @BaylorVBall.
FULL STATEMENT FROM COACH MCGUYRE
"Like all the awards this season, this truly is a team award. Shelby Livingstone, Jason Williams and Samantha Erger have been phenomenal this season. I've done much less this year and they have done so much more and at an elite level. What Sam has accomplished this season with our offense while still passionately teaching all skills has been simply astonishing and inspiring for our team. Jason's sharp mind and ability to communicate has led us to be the best defense in conference this season. Shelby's perspective as a recent college athlete combined with her maturity has been immensely valuable. Most importantly, Kellianne Layton has been the heart and soul of our staff. She is the glue that keeps us together, the encourager that points us back towards Christ and the organizer that keeps us on track.
I would not be the coach I am today if it were not for my beautiful wife. She truly brings out the best coach in me. She challenges me always, provides exceptional insight into things I don't see, gives me all the right things to say and rarely gets any of the credit.
Most importantly, as coaches, we are only as good as the athletes we coach. The leadership on this 2019 team is extraordinary. They seek Christ and His ways and apply His principals to their lives. As result, they have become incredible women of influence and have brought out the best in me and one another. I am honored to share this with a team that is deeply dear to my heart. When it is all said and done, I hope that in most days I have been a great assistant coach at Baylor. As a team, we see God as our head coach. So, unto Him may there be all glory, honor and praise."
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