LEXINGTON, Ky.– The American Volleyball Coaches Association is pleased to recognize its 2023 group of Thirty Under 30 coaches, including women's assistant coach Nick Mata. These rising leaders work hard and are passionate about teaching and helping grow the sport.

Thirty Under 30 honors up-and-coming coaches at all levels of volleyball—college, high school, and club—and the recipients serve in a range of roles, from head coach to volunteer assistant to club director. Nominees had to be under 30 as of Dec. 31, 2022, to qualify for the award.

Women's volleyball assistant coach and Recruiting Coordinator Nick Mata has been selected as one of 30 recipients from across the country. A member of the women's volleyball staff since 2021, Mata has served in various coaching rolls at several levels in the last decade. At the high school level, he was named the Region/Section Coach of the year for three-straight seasons (2015-17) after leading the Rincon High School girls' team to three regional titles.

Mata won two national championships in 2011 and 2015 as a member of the Arizona men's club volleyball team. In 2015 he was named All-Tournament MVP at NCVF Nationals, as well as being named First Team All-Mountain West Conference. Upon graduating, Mata was named the head coach of the Arizona women's club volleyball team and in 2016, he led the team to a fifth-place finish at NCVF Nationals.

"This is a well earned honor and I'm thrilled Nick is receiving the recognition he deserves," said head women's volleyball coach Megan Shifflett-Bachmann. "Not only is he a top-notch recruiter and technical coach in the gym, but his love of the game and commitment to the well-being of our student athletes truly sets him apart. We are lucky to have him on staff as a Patriot."

It is a big year for the AVCA's Thirty Under 30 program, which was created in 2009. A new category will launch this October—Thirty Over 30. These awards will recognize coaches with 30 years of AVCA membership and those who have been coaching volleyball for 30 years.
 
Here is the list of the 2023 Thirty Under 30 recipients:

• Jordan Armstrong, Jacksonville University (Assistant Coach)
• Nicole Barringer, Lenoir-Rhyne University (Head Coach)
• Maddie Beal, DePaul University (Assistant Coach)
• Kayla Black, Philander Smith College (Head Coach)
• Michael Burkhardt, Stevens Institute of Technology (Assistant Men's Coach)
• Madison Butcher, Alvin High School (Assistant Coach)
• Kailey Cavanaugh, Troy High School (Head Coach)
• Sydney Cheatham-Carlone, North Central College [IL] (Head Coach)
• Marissa Clements, Conway Juniors Volleyball Club (Club Director)
• James Fitzpatrick, Legacy Volleyball Club [NY] (Club Director) & Iona Prep (Head Boys Varsity Coach)
• Kasey Gentry, Lancaster Bible College (Assistant Men's Coach) & Prevail Volleyball Club (18-1 National Head Coach)
• Merideth Jewell, University of Kentucky (Assistant Coach)
• Courtney Johnson, University of Texas-El Paso (Assistant Coach)
• Kamille Jones, University of Illinois Springfield (Head Coach)
• Jacob Kerschner, Lewis University (Assistant Men's Coach)
• Mary Marcum, University of the South, Sewanee (Assistant Coach) & A5 Chattanooga Volleyball Club (Assistant Club Director)
• Hannah Marshall, William Peace University (Head Coach)
• Nick Mata, George Mason University (Assistant Coach/Recruiting Coordinator)
• Felipe Nogueira, Grand View University (Head Men's Coach)
• Sebastian Noordzy, Salve Regina University Volleyball (Head Coach)
• Brett Peterson, Olympus High School (Head Boys Coach)
• Jonah Seif, UCSB Men's Volleyball (Associate Men's Head Coach)
• Kathryn Settle, Lander University (Assistant Coach)
• Collin Sibilia, Holy Family University (Head Coach)
• Alison Skayhan, USC Upstate (Head Coach)
• Kirstyn Sperry, Bryant University (Assistant Women's Coach/Head Men's Club Volleyball Coach)
• Lauren Tekavec, Wingate University (Head Coach)
• Jonathan Vasquez, Monroe College (Assistant Coach)
• Alicia Wood, Illinois College (Head Coach)
• Sarah Yiljep, American University (Interim Head Coach) 

To see the biographies on each of the 2023 AVCA Thirty Under 30 honorees, click here.