Volleyball coach Chris Green named NCAA Division II West Region Coach of the Year

Alaska Anchorage's Chris Green was named Tuesday as the NCAA Division II West Region Coach of the Year by the American Volleyball Coaches Association.

Green, who led the Seawolves to the best overall season in school history, joined eight other regional honorees and will advance to balloting for national coach-of-the-year honors.

After inheriting a program that won 17 matches in the previous three seasons (including a 1-17 conference record in 2007), Green's first UAA team registered a 15-14 record in 2008.

This year, Green was named the Great Northwest Athletic Conference Coach of the Year as UAA -- predicted seventh in the preseason coaches' poll -- on the GNAC by three full matches with a 14-2 league record. The Seawolves' 23-8 overall mark matched the best in program history as they ripped off a school-record 13 straight victories from Oct. 1-Nov. 19.

The Seawolves won their first league title in 17 years and made their first playoff appearance in 19 seasons under Green's leadership. Facing 14th-ranked Hawaii Hilo in the opening round, UAA earned its first-ever NCAA Tournament win in a 5-set thriller, before losing to 2nd-ranked and eventual West Region champion Cal State-San Bernardino.

Green becomes the first UAA volleyball coach to earn regional coach-of-the-year honors.