Rietzke named USMC/AVCA D2 National Coach of the Year

Tracy Rietzke is the all-time winningest coach in NCAA Division II.

The American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) is proud to announce that Rockhurst University Head Coach Tracy Rietzke has been selected the 2019 USMC/AVCA Division II National Coach of the Year. Rietzke will be honored at the Jostens Coaches Honors Luncheon on December 19 in conjunction with the AVCA Convention in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

Rietzke currently ranks first among active NCAA Division II women's volleyball coaches in total victories (1,276-284) and sixth in all-time winning percentage (.818) among Division II coaches. He also ranks fourth in career victories for all three levels of NCAA women's volleyball head coaches.

He has guided the Hawks to a 1,104-228 record (.828) dating back to 1988. Since beginning play as an NCAA Division II member in 1998, the Hawks have posted a 646-166 record and played in 13 NCAA national tournaments while advancing to the NCAA Elite Eight three times.

Rietzke was also selected Great Lakes Valley Conference Coach of the Year in 2005 and 2012, Heartland Conference Coach of the Year in 2002 and 2004, and AVCA Midwest Region Coach of the Year in 1993 and 1994. Rietzke was the recipient of the NCAA Division II South Central Region Coach of the Year in 1999 and Midwest Region Coach of the Year in 2014. He is a five-time NAIA District Coach of the Year honoree (1990-94). In 1995 and 1996, Rietzke was recognized as the NAIA Midwest Independent Coach of the Year.

The Hawks have finished in the Division II Top 25 poll 10 times since joining the NCAA in 1998. Rockhurst advanced to the NCAA regional finals 10 times: 1998, 1999, 2002, 2003, 2005, 2014, 2015, 2017, 2018 and 2019. The Hawks won their first-ever GLVC Tournament championship in 2012 and repeated GLVC tourney titles in 2018 and 2019. Rockhurst captured NCAA regional championships in 2015 (at Ferris State), and 2017 and 2019 (at Lewis).

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