Nickel Selected AVCA National Two-Year College Coach of Year

Dallas College Eastfield's Phil Nickel was named the American Volleyball Coaches Association Two-Year College National Coach of the Year.

Nickel became the first Dallas Athletic Conference coach to receive the award in the 36-year history the AVCA has been honoring coaches around the nation.

"I am honored, and extremely flattered, to be named the AVCA National Coach of the Year, especially seeing as how the award goes across all divisions of two-year colleges," Nickel said. "And while this is a coach of the year award, none of it would have been possible without my assistants, Lexus Greschaw and Anthony Fletcher."

In his second season at the helm, Nickel guided the Harvester Bees to a 35-0 record and an National Junior College Athletic Association Division III National Championship. His team became the first NJCAA Division III program to go unbeaten and win a national championship. The Harvesters posted 29 sweeps this season, and captured the DAC and NJCAA Division III South District titles.

Nickel was also named the NJCAA Division III National Coach of the Year, along with being selected as the DAC Coach of the Year.

"I am proud of the season we had this year, which leads to awards like this, but at the end of the day, it is about the players," Nickel said. "We had 15 players who bought into a vision I had to win a national championship. They are the reason I do this, and I am excited to share this award with them."