(Posted November 19, 2001)

Huntingdon, Pa. - Juniata College Larry Bock, who is one of the most recognized names in collegiate volleyball, earned American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) Mid-Atlantic Region Coach of the Year honors announced on Thursday. He will now go on the ballot for national coach of the year laurels and that will be announced in December. It marks the seventh time that he has garnered the honors in his career.

Bock has led the 2001 edition of Juniata women's volleyball to the NCAA Division III quarterfinal round for the 21st straight year, while the Eagles currently sport a 28-8 overall record and the number six ranking in the latest AVCA Division III Poll. Juniata is undefeated in its region, won its 21st straight conference championship, and is 6-1 against Division II teams this season, along with a win over Division I Princeton. All but one of Juniata's eight losses has come against teams currently ranked in the national Division III poll.

Earlier this fall, Bock, who is the only coach that the Juniata women's volleyball program has ever known in its 25 years of existence (1977-present), became just the second NCAA women's volleyball coach at any level to reach 900 wins when the Eagles knocked off Widener on September 19. Andy Banachowski of UCLA posted his 900th women's volleyball victory in September of this year as well. Bock now owns a 922-158 women's volleyball mark, while Banachowski sits with 912 wins in his women's coaching career.

In addition, the victory over Widener was the 1,000th overall volleyball win for Bock, who had a 100-91 record while in charge of the Juniata men's program for six seasons (1990-95). Only one other collegiate volleyball mentor has recorded 1,000 victories and that is UCLA men's head coach Al Scates, who currently owns a 1,019-167 record through 39 years at his post.

Bock was tabbed as the Division III National Coach of the Year in 1984, 1991 and 1993 and he earned American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) Regional Coach of the Year laurels in 1986, 1989, 1991, 1993, 1994 and 1995, in addition to this year.

Bock's teams have advanced to the NCAA Division III semifinals and finals the past five years (16 overall), while the blue and gold squad is the only program that has appeared in all 21 NCAA Division III championship tournaments. Bock, who is a 1971 graduate of Penn State and the director of athletics on College Hill, has coached Juniata to four NCAA second-place finishes, 21 consecutive conference championships and now 245 straight conference victories. In addition, the Juniata women's volleyball program boasts 23 all-Americans, including 18 first-team selections.

Juniata, ranked sixth in this week's AVCA Division III poll, will take its 28-8 record into the NCAA Division III Quarterfinals this Saturday when it travels to second-ranked Trinity (TX) (35-4) for a 7:00 p.m. (CST) match. The winner will move on to the national semifinals/finals on November 30 and December 1 at a site that will be determined following play this weekend.

Our readers respond...

Be the first to provide a response.

Contact April Feagley at feaglea@juniata.edu or (814) 641-3131 for more information.