Eastern Michigan Athletics
Darcy Dorton Named AVCA Thirty Under 30 Award Winner
4/10/2019 10:57:00 AM | Volleyball
The award recognizes up-and-coming coaching talent at all levels of the sport
Created by the AVCA in 2009, the award recognizes up-and-coming coaching talent at all levels of the sport. All recipients had to be 30 years-or-younger in the 2018 season.
"We are thrilled that Darcy is being recognized as one of the AVCA's Thirty Under 30 coaches for 2019," said EMU Vice President/Director of Athletics Scott Wetherbee. "Over the past four years, she has had a tremendous impact on our volleyball program as an assistant coach and we are fortunate to have had the opportunity to promote her to the head coach position earlier this year. She is a true rising star in the coaching ranks and she continues to be a strong mentor to our student-athletes, both on and off the court. We are excited to see our volleyball program continue to compete for championships under her leadership."
Dorton joined the Eagles in 2015, helping the team make Mid-American Conference Tournament appearances in three of those four seasons. In 2018, Eastern Michigan reached new heights, winning its first MAC Tournament Championship in program history and first-ever bid to the NCAA Tournament, where it fell to No. 3 Illinois, which went on to participate in the Final Four.
In 2018 alone, Cassie Haut was named the MAC Tournament's Most Valuable Player, while Alyssa LaFace became the first EMU player since 2002 to be named to the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) All-Region team, while also earning a spot on the All-MAC First Team along with Haut and Jordan Smith. Over four seasons, she helped coach five All-MAC honorees, as well as 22 Academic All-MAC selections.
Dorton came to Eastern Michigan at the conclusion of her illustrious playing career at both the College of Charleston and Penn State University. The Muncie, Ind. native was the Big Ten Conference's Freshman of the Year in 2009 and helped Penn State to a National Championship that same season. She also helped the Nittany Lions to another National Title in 2010, was a three-time AVCA Honorable Mention All-American (2009, 2012, and 2013), and was the Colonial Athletic Conference (CAA) Player of the Year in her final season on the court (2013).
Thirty Under 30 Award Recipients
Cameron Andrew, Dominican University
Head Coach, NCAA Division III
Kayla Banwarth, University of Nebraska
Assistant Coach, NCAA Division I
Justin Beachy, Messiah College
Head Coach, NCAA Division III (Men)
Jon Bingesser, Highland Community College
Head Coach, Two-Year College (NJCAA Division II)
Garret Bitter, Kennesaw State University
Assistant Coach, NCAA Division I
Tyler Boddy, Southwest Minnesota State University
Assistant Coach, NCAA Division II
Micah Briscoe, Arizona Christian University
Head Coach, NAIA (Women + Men)
Alyssa Broccoli, Hunter College
Head Coach, NCAA Division III
Kevin Carroll, University of Cincinnati
Assistant Coach, NCAA Division I
Shelbie Dailey, Southern Performance Volleyball Club
Club Director, Club (Girls + Boys)
Jen Darty, Oviedo High School
Head Coach, High School
Vincenzo Devany, UC Santa Barbara
Assistant Coach, NCAA Division I-II (Men)
Darcy Dorton, Eastern Michigan University
Head Coach, NCAA Division I
Mary Frahm, Illinois Wesleyan University
Assistant Coach, NCAA Division III
Cullen Irons, UC Santa Barbara
Assistant Coach, NCAA Division I-II (Men)
Brianna Jones, Emory University
Assistant Coach, NCAA Division III
Ciara Jones, Howard University
Assistant Coach, NCAA Division I
Alexis Meeks, University of South Alabama
Head Coach, NCAA Division I
Garrett Minyard, Northeast Volleyball Club
Club Director, Club (Girls + Boys)
Rachel Morris, WAVE Volleyball Club/La Costa Vanyon High School
Head Coach, Club and High School
Kayla Mull, West Liberty University
Head Coach, Two-Year College (NJCAA Division II)
Sondra Parys, Loyola University Chicago
Assistant Coach, NCAA Division I
Ashley Petak, Regis University
Assistant Coach, NCAA Division II
Evangella Sanders, University of Colorado
Assistant Coach, NCAA Division I
Morgan Thomas, Texas Tech University
Assistant Coach, NCAA Division I
Nate Thompson, Lipscomb University
Assistant Coach, NCAA Division I
Laura (Farney) Ulrich, Texas Woman's University
Assistant Coach, NCAA Division II
Jon Wong, Bradley University
Assistant Coach, NCAA Division I
Andrew Yamashiro, Higley High School
Head Coach, High School (Boys)
Tim Zemp, RUSH Volleyball Club/American Leadership Academy-Queen Creek
Club Director, Club and High School (Girls + Boys)
