ACAC Coaching Excellence Award recipient named

Lakeland College is pleased to announce that Women's Volleyball coach Austin Dyer is this year's recipient of the ACAC Coaching Excellence Award.

This is Dyer's second time receiving this award, following 2023, when women's volleyball won their second national championship and the first of their current streak of titles. It's also the fourth time a Lakeland coach has received this distinction.

"Coach Dyer has worked extremely hard over his career to build the women's volleyball program to the place it is now," stated Rogan. "It is great to see Austin being recognized for all of his effort of the years."

Over the past eight months, the Rustlers have been as dominant as any women's program in CCAA history, starting with an undefeated exhibition period, defeating multiple U-Sports schools in the process. They followed that stretch by winning all 19 regular season matches, losing just one set in the process, then winning six playoff matches (with three set losses) to have their first undefeated season and the second in Lakeland history. All told, the combined record of regular season and postseason play came to a 25-0 record, including 75-4 in sets.

Jenay Varga, one of three graduating seniors and the last remaining member of the pre-COVID era of the program, praised her coach's dedication to the team.

"The amount of time and effort Austin puts into our program has led us to being as successful as we are," she said.

Coach Dyer's teams have also had a tremendous impact outside of practice and competition. They raised hundreds of pounds in donated food bank items, they instruct dozens of kids in youth volleyball programs and several players coach within the Rustlers Volleyball Club. His teams have also been high achievers academically, operating above a 3.4 GPA.

"Austin is the type of type of coach that doesn't just develop you as an athlete, but cares about you as a person and actively works to help you grow in all areas of your life," Varga said. "This is just a small part of what he's done for me."

The longest standing head coach at Lakeland, Coach Dyer is an NCCP fully certified level 3 performance and advanced developmental coach. He holds bachelor's degrees in Kinesiology and Education, has his Master of Education in Coaching Studies and just completed his 17th year running the Rustlers Women's Volleyball Program. During his tenure with Lakeland, his teams have qualified for the ACAC Championship every year.