Augustana head volleyball coach
Ashley Buckley has received the American Volleyball Coaches Association Thirty Under 30 Award, the AVCA announced.
The program, which is in its second year, recognizes thirty up-and-coming volleyball coaches under 30 years of age in the sport at all levels of the game. The list of winners was announced in the February/March issue of
Coaching Volleyball magazine.
Buckley, who turns 27 in March, completed her second season as head coach at Augustana in 2009 where she has a 37-29 record. In her first season as he head coach she led the Vikings to a 23-11 record. She also led the Vikings to a 15-5 record in the team's first season in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference before making its sixth-straight regional appearance and 12th appearance in the last 13 years. This past season Augustana went 14-18 despite the fact that 8 of the 13 active players were freshmen or sophomores.
Before being named Augustana's eighth head volleyball coach, Buckley spent the 2007 season as
Kim Sudbeck's top assistant. Buckley joined the Viking coaching staff prior to the 2007 season after spending the 2006 campaign as an assistant coach at the University of Sioux Falls.
"The accomplishments and philosophies of this group of award winners give the AVCA confidence about the future of our game,"
Kathy DeBoer, executive director of the AVCA said in a statement. "These thirty rising stars are diverse, hard-working and passionate about teaching -- good news for volleyball. Ashley has demonstrated dedication to not only her sport, but also her own professional development by aligning herself as a member in her coaching association. It is a privilege for our association to have such passionate members and we hope you join us in commending Ashley for her work."
A Sioux Falls native and a Roosevelt High School graduate, Buckley, the former Ashley Pederson, was a starting outside hitter at Penn State University from 2001-2004. As a team captain, Buckley led the Nittany Lions to four straight NCAA Tournament appearances, two Big Ten Conference championships (2003, 2004), and the 2003 NCAA Elite Eight. Following her career Buckley held the Penn State record for single season attempts (1,444), was ninth overall in career kills (1,340), and third in career attempts (3,733). The Nittany Lions posted a record of 107-24 during her collegiate career.
Following her collegiate career, Buckley played professionally in the Superliga Femenina with the Club Cajasur of Cordoba, Spain and with the Gigantes of Carolina, Puerto Rico.
Buckley earned her bachelor's degree in Human Development and Family Studies from Penn State in 2005.
Buckley and her husband Jeff live in Sioux Falls with their son Bausten, who was born in July.
