UM Volleyball Coach Named AVCA Region Coach of the Year
Dec. 10, 2008
Complete 2008 AVCA All-Region Coaches in PDF Format 
Lexington, Ky. – University of Miami eighth-year volleyball head coach Nicole Lantagne Welch was recently named as the 2008 American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) Division I East Region Coach of the Year announced Wednesday afternoon from the home office in Lexington, Kentucky. This is Lantagne Welch’s second Region Coach of the Year award since arriving at Miami in 2001.
Under the guidance of Nicole Lantagne Welch, the Miami Hurricanes enjoyed their most successful season since joining the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) in 2004. Their 26-6 overall record (14-6 ACC) was a 12-win turnaround from 2007, and the 14 wins in conference play was the most in ACC play for the Hurricanes in school history. In fact, the win total for 2008 is the equal sum of wins from 2006 and ’07, respectively.
After being picked to finish ninth in the preseason ACC poll, Lantagne Welch helped the `Canes to finish the ACC season in a tie for third place alongside Clemson, finishing just one match out of a possible three-way tie for first place with North Carolina and Duke, respectively. She also helped to coach three All-ACC Second Team members in Lane Carico, Angelica Ellis and Genny Mayhew–the first-ever All-ACC First or Second Team members in her young career. In addition, Carico was earlier named as the AVCA East Region Freshman of the Year, as well as ACC Freshman of the Year… earning a spot on the All-ACC Freshman Team and AVCA All-East Region Team.
The last postseason award coming to Lantagne Welch from the AVCA came back in 2002 when she was pegged as the AVCA/Tachikara Northeast Region Coach of the Year en route to leading Miami to their only NCAA Tournament run while competing in the Big East Conference. That season, the Hurricanes advanced to the “Sweet 16” before falling to Nebraska, finishing with a school Division I best record of 27-6 (10-3 Big East).
Lantagne Welch holds an overall record 151-87 to sit as the all-time winningest coach in UM volleyball history ahead of Cheryl Holt (116-61-1) who stood as head of the program from 1978-81.
Prior to arriving at Miami to serve as head coach of a resurging program in 2001, Lantagne Welch spent three seasons at Texas A&M University as an assistant coach, helping the Aggies to three consecutive Top 20 seasons. Lantagne Welch, previously known as simply Nicole Lantagne prior to marriage, played her collegiate volleyball at the University of Maryland from 1990-93. As the starting setter, she guided the Terrapins to an ACC Championship and NCAA berth in 1990. She was named an Academic All-American in 1993, and garnered first-team All-ACC honors in ’92 and ’93. Lantagne Welch finished her career as Maryland’s all-time assists, digs, and matches played leader.
A native of Encinitas, Calif., Lantagne Welch earned her B.A. in Business Marketing from the University of Maryland in 1994, and a M.S. in Athletic Administration from Ohio University in 1996.
For a complete list of this year’s AVCA All-Region Teams and Coaches of the Year throughout the nation, log on to www.hurricanesports.com.
