SSAC News
Tue, Dec 15, 2009 - [Volleyball]
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LEXINGTON, Ky. - The American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) recently announced that Fresno Pacific University head women's volleyball coach Dennis Janzen has been selected as the 2009 AVCA NAIA National Coach of the Year, while Lee University (Tenn.) assistant women's volleyball coach Kevin Hudson has been named the organization's inaugural AVCA NAIA National Assistant Coach of the Year.

2009 was a season which saw the Sunbirds continue building their legacy in NAIA volleyball, as Fresno Pacific, under Janzen's guidance, laid claim to its third-consecutive NAIA Volleyball National Championship. The Sunbirds swept through pool play and their quarterfinal match against the University of Texas at Brownsville, notched a 3-2 win over Concordia University, Irvine in the semifinals and whitewashed Georgetown College (Ky.) in the title match, en route to Janzen earning NAIA All-Tournament Coach honors. Fresno Pacific rolled to a perfect 38-0 record on the year, with 27 of those victories coming in sweeping fashion.

In his 25 years with Fresno Pacific, Janzen has guided the Sunbirds to 25 consecutive winning seasons and has never had a losing season. His running tally of accomplishments includes 16 Golden State Athletic Conference (GSAC) championships, 13 NAIA District/Region titles, 12 national semifinal finishes, two national runner-up finishes and five NAIA national championships (1989, 2003, 2007, 2008, 2009). During his time with the program, Janzen has racked up an impressive 835-166 overall record.

Hudson helped guide Lee to new heights this season, as the Lady Flames made their first-ever appearance in the NAIA Volleyball National Championship semifinals, where they eventually dropped a heartbreaking 3-2 decision to Georgetown College (Ky.).
 
Lee, who entered the tournament unseeded, ended up winning their assigned pool to advance to the single-elimination portion of the event. Hudson and his wife, Lee head coach Andrea Hudson, directed the Lady Flames to a 38-6 overall record in 2009, as the team made its greatest run in program history.
 
Andrea Hudson describes her husband as the team's "co-coach". Kevin has been by Andrea's side for 18 of her 19 years as Lee's volleyball coach. They have never had a losing season, won over 40 matches four times, and claimed over 30 victories eight years. All totaled, the Hudson have combined for 606 wins against just 199 defeats.
 
The twosome have combined for 14 conference championships and taken eight teams to the NAIA National Tournament. "All of the wins belong to both of us," stressed Andrea. "It also represents so many wonderful young ladies we have had the privilege to coach and watch their refusal to lose over the last 18 years."  

The AVCA will formally present both coaches their awards at the 2009 jostens Coaches Honors Luncheon in Tampa, Fla., on Thursday, Dec. 17.  The luncheon is held in conjunction with the 2009 AVCA Annual Convention.