J.J. O'Connell of Stevens Repeats as Empire 8 Volleyball Coach of the Year
November 10, 2008
ROCHESTER, NY – Stevens Institute of Technology Head Coach J.J. O’Connell has been named the 2008 Empire 8 Volleyball Coach of the Year in a vote of the conference coaches after the Ducks captured the conference championship on Saturday.
The award is the second in a row for O’Connell, who has led Stevens to a 20-0 record in Empire 8 play since joining the conference and a 32-4 overall record this season. Stevens will play in an eight-team regional at New York University in the NCAA Division III Volleyball Championship starting Thursday. The Ducks, who advanced to the Elite Eight the past two seasons, have won five consecutive conference titles under O’Connell, winning three straight Skyline Conference championships before entering the Empire 8 last year.
O’Connell took over a program that won just three matches in 2001 and has accumulated a 196-52 record in his seventh season, a .790 winning percentage. He is the winningest coach in the program’s history.