SYLVAN WINS MEAC COACH OF THE YEARAggies improved 10 games from ‘04 to ‘05
GREENSBORO, N.C., November 17, 2005 – N.C. A&T head volleyball coach Millicent Sylvan was named MEAC Coach of the Year by a vote of her coaching peers on Thursday. Sylvan also saw two of her players earn second-team All-MEAC honors.
Sylvan’s North Carolina A&T team improved 10 matches over last season and finished with 20-17 record overall and 9-1 in the MEAC, the Aggies best finish in the conference since 1998 when they went 8-0.
Sylvan, who recently won her 100th career game, rallied the Aggies from an 0-4 start to earn impressive non-conference wins over UNC-Asheville, Gardner-Webb, Campbell and Providence. The Aggies also swept the MEAC Roundup in Princess Anne, Md. They went 6-0 with sweeps over Coppin State and Maryland-Eastern Shore.
Perhaps Sylvan’s best accomplishment this season was leading the Aggies to an 8-4 record without top hitter Arlene Mitchell. Mitchell, who earned second-team All-MEAC honors for the second consecutive season, went down with an ankle injury on Oct. 4 versus Gardner-Webb.
Sylvan kept the Aggies on track and now they are at full strength heading into this weekend’s MEAC Volleyball Tournament at the Greensboro Sportsplex.
After her 100th victory on Saturday, Sylvan said individual accomplishments are nice, but she wants to win championships.
Arlene Mitchell should help her in her quest. Mitchell earned her second-team honors by leading the conference in services aces for the second straight season and she is ranked fifth in the nation in aces with 0.78 per game. For the third straight season, she will lead the Aggies in kills.
Joining Mitchell was sophomore setter Brenden Chatman. Chatman ran Sylvan’s fast-pace offense well this season. She averaged 9.05 assists per game and made 194 kills and had three double-doubles on the season.
The Aggies will open the conference tournament with Coppin State, 1:30 p.m., Friday at the sportsplex.