Iowa Western's Williams named DI Volleyball Coach of the Year
Charlotte, NC – Iowa Western head coach Alicia Williams has been named the 2020-21 NJCAA Division I Volleyball Coach of the Year, presented by the Marines.
In her eighth season at the helm of Iowa Western's program, Williams led the Reivers to a 26-3 overall record, a Midwest A District title, and an NJCAA Division I Volleyball Championship title. The Reivers only dropped one set during the month of April and ended the 2020-21 season on a 23-match win streak.
Williams was also named the Iowa Community College Athletic Conference (ICCAC) Coach of the Year.
Iowa Western entered the national tournament in West Plains, MO, as the fifth seed and swept all their opponents en route to the championship match: No. 12 Wallace State-Hanceville, No. 4 Utah State Eastern, and No. 1 Miami Dade. The Reivers defeated second-seeded Snow (UT) 3-1 to claim the championship title. The quarterfinal victory over Utah State Eastern earned Coach Williams her 300th coaching career win.
The championship title marked the second volleyball national title in program history. Williams also helped Iowa Western capture the program's first national title as a player in 2006.
Williams took home the Heidi Cartisser Coach of the Tournament award at the 2020-21 NJCAA DI Volleyball Championship and had three student-athletes earn all-tournament honors: freshman setter Yadhira Anchante, Tournament MVP; freshman right side hitter Maike Bertens, All-Tournament Team; and freshman outside hitter Iremnur Elmas, All-Tournament Team.
Anchante and Bertens both garnered NJCAA All-America First Team recognition with Elmas earning an All-America honorable mention.
