2024 ACAC Women's Volleyball Coaches of the Year
Edmonton, AB (February 21, 2024) –
North Female Coach of the Year | Steve Enright | Augustana Vikings:
The Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference (ACAC) is proud to announce that Steve Enright of the University of Alberta - Augustana Vikings has been named the 2023-2024 ACAC Women’s Volleyball North Coach of the Year.
Under Enright’s leadership, the Vikings secured their highest-ever Canadian Collegiate Athletics Association’s (CCAA) national ranking, jumping from fourteenth to fifth after a weekend sweep of the former number five. In the weeks following, the team’s nine-game win streak moved them into fourth in rankings, which they locked down by the conclusion of the conference season.
Starting the season with a 7-3 record, the team came back in 2024 to go on a nine-game run, keeping a perfect conference record in the calendar year and peaking at the right time to challenge for the conference title.
“Steve embodies everything you could ask for from a head coach of a varsity program,” says Aly Andersen, Vikings Administration & Communications Coordinator. “The team’s success in the classroom and on the court speaks for itself, however, his work behind the scenes to develop an all-round program from Alumni engagement to recruitment to team culture is what sets him apart and makes him deserving of this award for the third time in his head coaching career, so far.”
Since being named head coach of the Vikings in 2019, Enright has been named the north coach of the year three times (2020, 2022, 2024) and was nominated as CCAA Women’s Volleyball Coach of the Year in 2022. During his time as a bench boss, the team earned their first-ever ACAC medal, claiming Silver at the 2023 ACAC championship in Red Deer and qualified for their first CCAA National Championship in the same year.
This prestigious award will be recognized at the 2024 ACAC Women’s Volleyball Championship hosted by Lethbridge College from February 22-24.
South Female Coach of the Year | Rhonda Schmuland | Briercrest Clippers:
The Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference (ACAC) is proud to announce that Rhonda Schmuland of Briercrest College has been named the 2023-2024 ACAC Women’s Volleyball South Coach of the Year.
Rhonda Schmuland began her tenure as head coach of the Briercrest Women’s Volleyball program in 2022-2023. She joined the Clippers from Olds College, where she had led the team from a 0-24 season prior to her arrival in 2018-2019 to a 5-11 season record in 2021-2022 season post-COVID. Since taking over as coach of the Briercrest Women’s Volleyball program the team has performed at a very high level, qualifying for the ACAC Women’s Volleyball Championships in 2022-23 and 2023-24.
A native of Calgary, Alberta, Schmuland played for Briercrest College (2001-02) and Trinity Western University (2002-2006) helping lead Trinity Western University (TWU) to their first National appearance after joining the CIS (now USport) league in 1999-2000. During her time at Briercrest College she received ACAC All-Conference award and went on to earn multiple awards at TWU including Canada West Second-Team All-Star, 4-time U-Sport Academic All-Canadian, and the prestigious Thérèse Quigley Award in 2005-06.
Following her post-secondary career and earning her bachelor’s in human kinetics from TWU, Schmuland continued to pursue volleyball professionally in France. At the completion of her playing career Schmuland completed her Masters in Physiotherapy from the University of Alberta in 2010. During her time at the UofA she was the team therapist for the University of Alberta Golden Bears volleyball team and assisted them through multiple National Championship tournaments including the 2010 season where they captured the USport National Championship.
Schmuland has served in many coaching roles over the last 20 years, giving her a vast arrange of experience:
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2002-2006 – Fraser Valley Volleyball Club – Head Coach
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2008-2009, 2011-2018 – She was an integral part of the Canuck Volleyball Club program in Calgary as a head coach as well as Fitness Coordinator for 15+ teams in the club.
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2015 – Schmuland was awarded the prestigious honor of the Volleyball Alberta U18 Coach of the Year.
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2013-2022 – Multiple different roles within the Team Alberta Provincial Team Program with the most recent being 2022-Mentor Coach and 2021-U17 Head Coach.
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2015-2016 – Assistant Coach – Ambrose University
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2019-2022 – Head Coach of the Olds College Women’s Volleyball program
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2023 – Mentor Coach for Team Sask
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2022-Current – Head Coach of the Briercrest Women’s Volleyball program
“In her time at Briercrest Rhonda has shaped the women’s volleyball program around her outstanding leadership character; integrating her faith, passion for her student-athletes and desire to see them grow in all areas of their lives. This season she has helped the team overcome the significant loss of their starting setter in early January and worked to fill the gap with their freshman back-up and the team has continued to perform and qualify for this year’s ACAC championships. Rhonda’s dedication to help and advocate for her student-athletes is inspiring – she puts them first and serves them to the very best. We are so proud that Rhonda is being recognized for the transformation coach that she is.”
This prestigious award will be recognized at the 2023 ACAC Women’s Volleyball Championship hosted by Lethbridge College from February 22-24.
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About the ACAC: The ACAC is the governing body for intercollegiate athletics in Alberta. Its mission is to provide competitive collegiate sport experiences, promote academic achievement and be a leader of sport development in Canada.
For more information on the ACAC, please visit our website: www.acac.ab.ca
For additional information, contact:
Mark Kosak, Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference
Chief Executive Officer
403-875-7329
markk@acac.ab.ca
Aly Andersen, University of Alberta - Augustana
Administration & Communications Coordinator
403-896-2223
acanders@ualberta.ca
Stan Peters, Briercrest College
Athletic Director
306-681-3676
speters@briercrest.ca
Kayla Blacquiere, Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference
Marketing & Communications Coordinator
kaylab@acac.ab.ca