The NICL-East volleyball Coach of the Year, Wapsie Valley’s Austin Shepherd, has also been recognized by a national coaching association.

The American Volleyball Coaches Association chose Shepherd as a 2022 Class of 30 Under 30 High School Award recipient. The program was established in 2009 to honor up-and-coming coaching talent at all levels of the sport, and was expanded in 2016 to include a category for high school coaches.

This year’s 30 recipients are a diverse group, ranging from head to assistant coaches, varsity to JV coaches, and girls to boys coaches. They represent schools in 18 different states and two countries, the United States and Germany, according to an AVCA news release.

Click here for the full list.

Wapsie Valley volleyball posted a 41-5 record this season and made it back to the State Tournament. Eddyville-Blakesburg- Fremont defeated the Warriors 3-1 in the Class 2A quarterfinals ).

Shepherd became the head coach in 2021.