(HALIFAX, NS) UNB Reds head coach Christine Biggs was named Atlantic University Sport’s women’s volleyball Coach of the Year on Thursday.
The award was voted on by Biggs’ AUS coaching peers.
“The award is purely a reflection of the work of the entire group,” said Biggs. “The dedicated assistant coach staff, mainly program alumni, the student-therapists, who assist in getting the group fit, keeping them healthy, and returning them to good health, and the commitment of the student-athletes who find ways to juggle demanding academic schedules with high performance athletic routines. I’m proud because I believe it’s a reflection of a synergetic push towards a culture of excellence.”
Finishing her first season at the helm of the Reds, Biggs led a dramatic turnaround for the program.
She took a team that was winless in 2017-18 and pushed them to a 12-and-7 finish in 2018-19, good for 3rd place in the AUS and UNB’s first conference playoff berth since 2016.
UNB finished the season with 15.7 points per set, second in the conference, and 11.3 kills per set.
Biggs’ Reds won nine of their final 11 matches, including a straight-sets win over then U SPORTS No. 1 ranked Dalhousie on the final weekend of the regular season.
“We are proud of how far we have come, but never satisfied with where we’re at,” said Biggs. “I’m so grateful to have a small part of that.”
Biggs will now represent the AUS as the nominee for U SPORTS Coach of the Year.
Before that, Coach Biggs and her No. 3 Reds will face the No. 2 Acadia Axewomen in Friday’s semi-finals, at the Subway AUS Women’s Volleyball Championship, hosted by Dalhousie University.
Game time is 7:00pm.