Photo by: Maria Lysaker
May Named AVCA Diversity Award Recipient
11/2/2021 8:00:00 AM | Volleyball
LEXINGTON, K.Y. (October 28, 2021) − Houston volleyball graduate assistant, Carlisa May was named one of 21 recipients for AVCA's annual Diversity Award. May is one of 10 NCAA coaches to receive the award in 2021, and the only coach from the American Athletic Conference.
May joined the Cougar coaching staff in August 2020 and has helped UH in its meteoric rise in the AAC. In her first season, May and the Cougars won the American Athletic Conference West Division, the program's first title of any kind since joining the league in 2013. Thus far in 2021, the Cougars have won 19 matches, the most since 2011, and are currently in second place in the AAC standings.
2021 marks the sixth year for the AVCA Diversity Awards (seventh year with the AVCA Minority Coaches Awards in 2015). The Diversity Development teams remains focused on the coach development and diversity initiatives of the AVCA. In 2020, issues of race relations in America, the incidences of social injustice and the grips of a global health crisis placed a needed emphasis on being intentional and mobilizing efforts that lead to substantive change for society and the volleyball community.
The Team responded with the goal of turning a "moment" into a "Movement". The AVCA Diversity Award program continues to evolve as the program surpasses 100 awardees with the announcement of the 2021 winners. The volleyball community and industry partners have come alongside and demonstrated their commitment financially to the advancement of our sport while continuing the conversations and mobilizing efforts that lead to substantive change for society and the volleyball community.
For the 2021 AVCA Diversity Award program, recipients will participate in a series of educational, developmental, and relationship building experiences in conjunction with the 2021 AVCA Convention, December 15-18 (2020 AVCA Diversity Award winners have been invited to in-person programming at the 2021 AVCA Convention in Columbus, Ohio). Recipients will then be integrated into the AVCA Diversity Award winner alumni program that consists of continuing education, relationship building, and mentoring upon completion of the initial programming.
FULL LIST OF RECIPIENTS:
Cecilia Blanchard, Women's Volleyball Graduate Assistant, Virginia Commonwealth University*
Jasmine Brown, Assistant Women's Volleyball Coach, Denison University (Sponsored by NCAC)*
Jasmine Chambers, Women's Volleyball Graduate Assistant, Midwestern State University*
Kija Chambers, Epic Trainer/Coach, Henry Ford Health System
Madelyn Cole, Women's Volleyball Graduate Assistant, Providence College*
Candace Davenport, Club Director/Owner, Loyalty Volleyball Club (Sponsored by USAV Delta Region)
Dekyra Dennis, Assistant Women's Volleyball Coach, Hutchinson CC (Sponsored by the NJCAA)
Kalisha Goree, Assistant Women's Volleyball Coach, University of Akron*
Chanelle Hargreaves, Club Volleyball Coach, Gainesville Juniors
Luiza Imbuzeiro Andrade, Assistant Women's Volleyball Coach, Texas Woman's University*
Tyrell Jamison, Club Coach, Louisville Fury VBC (Sponsored by USAV Pioneer Region)
Wil Jefferson, Assistant Women's Volleyball Coach, Prairie View A&M University*
Joseph Kelley, Volleyball Graduate Assistant, Fort Valley State University (Sponsored by EIVA)*
Carlisa May, Women's Volleyball Graduate Assistant, University of Houston*
Lauren Murray, Freshman Girls Volleyball Head Coach, Pike High School (IN)
Bryan Paliza, Site Director, Recruiting Coordinator & Head Coach, Sky High VBC
Sara Parson, Women's Volleyball Graduate Assistant, University of Kentucky*
MyKeia Thomas, Club Director/Owner, St. Clair County VBC (Sponsored by USAV Gateway Region)
Celeste Walton, 16-1 Head Coach, Cobb Atlanta Volleyball (Sponsored by USAV Southern Region)
Andria Warner, Varsity Girls Head Coach/Head Coach 14U, Walt Whitman HS (MD)/MVSA VBC (Sponsored by USAV Chesapeake Region)
Kynette Williams, Director, Phoenix Rising VBC-TN/GA (Sponsored by USAV Southern Region)
JOIN POINT HOUSTON CLUB
Fans can help support the Houston Volleyball program by joining the Point HOUSTON Club. For more information about the Point HOUSTON Club, fans can click here or call Cougar Pride at (713) 743-GoUH.
STAY CONNECTED
Follow Houston Volleyball on Twitter and Instagram at @UHCougarVB, and "Like" UHCougarVB on Facebook.
May joined the Cougar coaching staff in August 2020 and has helped UH in its meteoric rise in the AAC. In her first season, May and the Cougars won the American Athletic Conference West Division, the program's first title of any kind since joining the league in 2013. Thus far in 2021, the Cougars have won 19 matches, the most since 2011, and are currently in second place in the AAC standings.
2021 marks the sixth year for the AVCA Diversity Awards (seventh year with the AVCA Minority Coaches Awards in 2015). The Diversity Development teams remains focused on the coach development and diversity initiatives of the AVCA. In 2020, issues of race relations in America, the incidences of social injustice and the grips of a global health crisis placed a needed emphasis on being intentional and mobilizing efforts that lead to substantive change for society and the volleyball community.
The Team responded with the goal of turning a "moment" into a "Movement". The AVCA Diversity Award program continues to evolve as the program surpasses 100 awardees with the announcement of the 2021 winners. The volleyball community and industry partners have come alongside and demonstrated their commitment financially to the advancement of our sport while continuing the conversations and mobilizing efforts that lead to substantive change for society and the volleyball community.
For the 2021 AVCA Diversity Award program, recipients will participate in a series of educational, developmental, and relationship building experiences in conjunction with the 2021 AVCA Convention, December 15-18 (2020 AVCA Diversity Award winners have been invited to in-person programming at the 2021 AVCA Convention in Columbus, Ohio). Recipients will then be integrated into the AVCA Diversity Award winner alumni program that consists of continuing education, relationship building, and mentoring upon completion of the initial programming.
FULL LIST OF RECIPIENTS:
Cecilia Blanchard, Women's Volleyball Graduate Assistant, Virginia Commonwealth University*
Jasmine Brown, Assistant Women's Volleyball Coach, Denison University (Sponsored by NCAC)*
Jasmine Chambers, Women's Volleyball Graduate Assistant, Midwestern State University*
Kija Chambers, Epic Trainer/Coach, Henry Ford Health System
Madelyn Cole, Women's Volleyball Graduate Assistant, Providence College*
Candace Davenport, Club Director/Owner, Loyalty Volleyball Club (Sponsored by USAV Delta Region)
Dekyra Dennis, Assistant Women's Volleyball Coach, Hutchinson CC (Sponsored by the NJCAA)
Kalisha Goree, Assistant Women's Volleyball Coach, University of Akron*
Chanelle Hargreaves, Club Volleyball Coach, Gainesville Juniors
Luiza Imbuzeiro Andrade, Assistant Women's Volleyball Coach, Texas Woman's University*
Tyrell Jamison, Club Coach, Louisville Fury VBC (Sponsored by USAV Pioneer Region)
Wil Jefferson, Assistant Women's Volleyball Coach, Prairie View A&M University*
Joseph Kelley, Volleyball Graduate Assistant, Fort Valley State University (Sponsored by EIVA)*
Carlisa May, Women's Volleyball Graduate Assistant, University of Houston*
Lauren Murray, Freshman Girls Volleyball Head Coach, Pike High School (IN)
Bryan Paliza, Site Director, Recruiting Coordinator & Head Coach, Sky High VBC
Sara Parson, Women's Volleyball Graduate Assistant, University of Kentucky*
MyKeia Thomas, Club Director/Owner, St. Clair County VBC (Sponsored by USAV Gateway Region)
Celeste Walton, 16-1 Head Coach, Cobb Atlanta Volleyball (Sponsored by USAV Southern Region)
Andria Warner, Varsity Girls Head Coach/Head Coach 14U, Walt Whitman HS (MD)/MVSA VBC (Sponsored by USAV Chesapeake Region)
Kynette Williams, Director, Phoenix Rising VBC-TN/GA (Sponsored by USAV Southern Region)
JOIN POINT HOUSTON CLUB
Fans can help support the Houston Volleyball program by joining the Point HOUSTON Club. For more information about the Point HOUSTON Club, fans can click here or call Cougar Pride at (713) 743-GoUH.
STAY CONNECTED
Follow Houston Volleyball on Twitter and Instagram at @UHCougarVB, and "Like" UHCougarVB on Facebook.
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