UGA volleyball coach wins SEC honors

University of Georgia head women’s volleyball coach Tom Black has been named the 2022 Southeastern Conference Volleyball Coach of the Year, it was announced Sunday afternoon. Additionally, senior outside hitter Kacie Evans and junior middle blocker Sophie Fischer collected All-SEC honors.

The award marks more milestones for the Georgia volleyball program in 2022 as Black becomes the first Georgia volleyball coach to be named SEC Coach of the Year since Georgia’s inaugural coach Sid Feldman won the award in 1985. Evans becomes the first Bulldog to be named a two-time All-SEC player since Valentina Gonzalez in 2009 and 2010.

“I’m grateful for this award,” Black began. “There’s so many great coaches and players in this league and our job is very hard. Most of our careers are spent behind closed doors of the gym or the film room or wherever our players need us and that’s the way it should be. I want to thank Jim MacGlaughlin and Kyle Stark for pouring into me and Billy Ryan for being there so selflessly for our team through the hard times. I’d like to thank my wife Crystal for putting up with me and sacrificing so much.

“In the end, this award is completely a reflection of our student-athletes and how much our entire coaching staff pours into them. These people have had to put up with me too and I’m very grateful for them. We’re in this together. I hope this award celebrates each of them as well.

In his sixth season at the helm of the Bulldogs program, Black guided Georgia to a 22-7 record in the regular season, the most regular season wins since 2013. Georgia recorded its best finish in SEC play since 1995, finishing third with a 13-5 record against SEC opponents. Georgia’s 13 Conference wins is the most in program history. The season featured a marquee sweep of then-No.11 Florida in Gainesville on Oct. 19. The Bulldogs finished the season winning 10 of their final 12 matches.

Georgia was picked to finish ninth by the league’s head coaches prior to the season after finishing 12-17 in 2021 and 7-9 in SEC play.

The Bulldogs will look to make their second NCAA Tournament appearance in Black’s tenure, the first since 2019. It will be Georgia’s 11th tournament appearance in program history.

Evans adds All-SEC to her career resume for the second time. She was named SEC Freshman of the Year and All-SEC in 2019. The Wadsworth, Ohio native excelled for the Bulldogs in 2022, finishing fifth in the SEC with 3.97 kills per set against conference opponents. At the service line, her 0.41 aces per set was second in the league while her 4.76 points per set was fourth.

Nationally, Evans’ 4.88 points per set in 2022 ranked 25th while her overall 536.5 points was 24th. She finished 39th in the country with a 4.09 kills per set clip. Earlier in the season, she became the 19th all-time member of Georgia’s 1,000-Kill Club.

“Kacie just grows and grows and grows,” Black said. “Her heart and commitment not only to her own game, but this program and her teammates, is truly inspiring especially in this day and age. We all learn a lot watching Kacie go about her business and we’re so proud of her.”

Fischer transferred to UGA prior to the season and made an immediate impact on the court. She finished second in the league with a 1.57 blocks per set average in SEC competition while her 108 total blocks led the SEC. Her 15 blocks against South Carolina on Sept. 28 was a season high in the SEC and also set a program record at UGA.

The Fort Mill, South Carolina native finished third in the country with a 1.56 overall blocks per set average and 173 total blocks. Offensively, Fischer’s .340 was a top-10 hitting average in the SEC. She laid down 2.82 kills per set out of the middle in 2022. With Fischer leading the charge, the Bulldogs finished second in the SEC and 14th nationally with a team 2.67 blocks per set clip.

“This award is a small token of the impact Sophie has had on our program this season,” Black commented. “On and off the court, she’s done so much to help elevate us into the spot we’re in and where we want to go. Sophie is a special player and person and we’re so grateful to have more time with her in this program.”

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