Austin Dyer named CCAA Women’s Volleyball Coach of the Year

Lakeland College is excited to announce that Coach Austin Dyer has been named the Canadian Colleges Athletic Association (CCAA) Women's Volleyball Coach of the Year.

This continues a season of accolades for the 14th year head coach and his top seeded Rustlers squad, who won the ACAC title in dominant fashion, as well as a decade of success with the program. Dyer's team's have medaled four of the last five ACAC seasons, five times since he took over the program in 2008-2009, always qualifying for the postseason. The Rustlers earned Canadian Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) silver in 2013 when they hosted the national tournament. They also won back-to-back ACAC titles in 2017-2018, the former of which included CCAA gold. 

Lakeland went 18-1 in the regular season before sweeping through the conference tournament without losing a set. In fact, their lone loss to the Augustana Vikings was the only time this season the starting lineup dropped a set. In the ACAC final, they avenged that loss by sweeping the Vikings 25-17, 25-13, 25-16. The Rustlers will be heading into the national tournament with a 21-1 match and 65-3 sets won loss record.

Two players, Kalylie Lueck and Jenay Varga were named to the all-conference team, with Varga earning North Division Player of the Year honours.

Following the ACAC title, Dyer credited the experience and dedication of his players, noting it's the oldest team he's ever coached.

"There's been hundreds of practices over the years, put together to develop the product on the floor, combine that with retainment, recruiting, having all the right pieces and the work ethic shown by the daily routines of the athletes," he said. "You don't get to where we are, as good as we are, without buy-in by the athletes, doing things the right way."

"Coach Dyer has not only built a strong team but a strong women's volleyball program at Lakeland," commented Athletic Director Alan Rogan after Dyer was awarded ACAC North Coach of the Year. "More importantly, he has created a culture of success not only on the court but in the classroom and community."

Dyer is a fully certified Level 3 coach with a master of education in coaching studies and has held a strong focus on the complete student athlete. This was shown in the first semester of this season, when the team averaged a GPA of 3.37. Dyer also works with student athletes on the coaching aspect, engaging many of the student athletes as coaches with the Rustlers club volleyball program and youth camps. He also leads several volleyball camps in Alberta and Saskatchewan over the summer.

This past year, Dyer is also mentoring his third CCAA female apprentice coach, former Rustler Orianna Hyndman, helping to develop future volleyball coaches. 

That sense of being part of a family has played a large role in both the retainment and buy-in of players. Dyer spoke to how this year's group has embodied playing the "Rustler Way."

"To stick with it, they need to trust that it's going to work," Dyer says. "With this group, it's been proven we do things the right way. It's just been an incredible season."

This is the first time Dyer has been named CCAA Coach of the Year. He's had three athletes that have made the CCAA All-Canadian team, including Ashley Lange, Rae Sigurdson and Varga.