United States Coast Guard Academy - Department of Athletics

Coast Guard won the The American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) Play of the Year.

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The US Coast Guard Academy volleyball team won the weekly award in week two of the Volleyball Market/AVCA Play of the Week. The Bears earned the honor after beating out four other semifinalists – Dakota Wesleyan University, University of Hawai’i, University of North Florida and Tulane University – during a week-long voting period.

The award-winning play came during Coast Guard’s home match-up with New England Women’s and Men’s Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) foe Wellesley College on September 22, a match in which the Bears won 3-0. The play features several exhilarating dives to the floor by the Coast Guard players and is capped with a Bears’ stuffed block to earn the point during the 35 second rally. The victory extended Coast Guard’s home win-streak to 23 consecutive matches and allowed the team to remain unbeaten on the year at 9-0.

Volleyball - Bears Win ECAC Championship

Coast Guard earned its third ECAC Championship since 2002.

PLYMOUTH, N.H.--(11/14/09)--Freshman Lauren Bloch earned Most Outstanding Player honors as third-seeded Coast Guard won the ECAC Division III New England championship by beating top-seeded and host Plymouth State 3-1 (25-22, 25-20, 22-25, 26-24). It was the Bears third ECAC Championship of the decade as they also won it in 2002 and 2005.

The Bears made a remarkable turn around from a year ago when they finished 14-16 overall and missed postseason play for the first time since 2000.

Earlier in day, Coast Guard (28-5) earned a spot in the championship match with a 3-1 (22-25, 25-17, 25-21, 25-19) win over seventh-seeded Colby Sawyer in the semifinals.

Just as Coast Guard did in its win in the New England Women’s and Men’s Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) and ECAC quarterfinal wins, the Bears dropped the first set in the semifinal win.

Jessica Anderson earned NEWMAC All-Academic team honors.

NEW LONDON, CONN.--(11/12/09)--Coast Guard placed three student-athletes on the 2009 New England Women’s and Men’s Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) All-Academic volleyball and women’s soccer teams.

Junior Jen Brockway (Marine and Environmental Sciences) and sophomore Erin Nolan (Mechanical Engineering) were named from the women’s soccer team while junior Jessica Anderson (Marine and Environmental Sciences) was named from the volleyball team.

Honorees must have met the following criteria: earned a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.5/4.0 scale or 4.35/5.0 scale after the 2009 spring semester, achieved second year academic status at her institution, and been a member of the varsity team for the entire season.

Volleyball - Bears Win; Advance to ECAC Semifinals

Ashley Bullard was part of balanced attack as she tied her season-high with 11 digs.

NEW LONDON, CONN.--(11/11/09)--Freshman Lauren Bloch had a match-high 17 kills while sophomore Nicole Johnson added 11 kills leading third-seeded Coast Guard to a 3-1 (13-25, 25-16, 25-19, 25-17) win over sixth-seeded Johnson & Wales in the first round of the ECAC Division III New England tournament. The Bears have now won seven straight ECAC Tournament first round matches since 2001.

Coast Guard (26-5) will take on seventh-seeded Colby Sawyer in the semifinals at 2 p.m. on Saturday at top-seeded Plymouth State. Colby Sawyer upset second-seeded Brandeis 3-2 in the first round. The Championship match will also be played at Plymouth State on Saturday afternoon. Top-seeded Plymouth State will take on fourth-seeded WNEC in the first semifinal at noon. The Bears won the ECAC championship in 2002 and 2005 and lost in the championship match in 2004.

Just as Coast Guard did in its win in the New England Women’s and Men’s Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) tournament quarterfinal, the Bears dropped the first set.