Mizzou's Kreklow Named AVCA Southeast Region Coach of the Year, Four Tigers Named All-Southeast Region
12/6/2016 11:38:00 AM | Volleyball
Tigers' four All-Region awards ties a program record
COLUMBIA, Mo. – The American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) announced its annual All-Region awards on Tuesday morning with Mizzou garnering five total awards.
Head Coach Wayne Kreklow was tabbed the Southeast Region Coach of the Year, while redshirt junior Melanie Crow (Wildwood, Mo.), senior Carly Kan (Honolulu), sophomore Alyssa Munlyn (Suwanee, Ga.) and redshirt junior Kira Larson (Fargo, N.D.) were named to the All-Southeast Region Team.
For the complete 2016 AVCA Division I All-Region awards, click here.
Tuesday's recognition marks Kreklow's second career AVCA Southeast Region Coach of the Year honor. He first won the award in 2013, as that year's Mizzou squad went 35-1 and claimed the program's first-ever SEC Championship. This season, the Tigers claimed their second SEC title in the past four seasons, while advancing to their first Sweet 16 since 2010.
Kreklow has guided Mizzou to a No. 18 national ranking in the current AVCA Coaches poll, while also earning the No. 9 spot in the latest NCAA RPI rankings. The 2016 Tigers tallied their 13th trip to NCAA Tournament play since 2000. In late November, Kreklow also garnered his second career SEC Coach of the Year honor.
For the sixth consecutive season, Mizzou has earned at least one AVCA All-Region recognition. This year's four honorees ties the program's all-time record for most All-Region accolades in a single-season (joining 2013 Tigers). Additionally, Mizzou has tallied multiple All-Region awards four times since 2010. The Tigers have now earned 29 all-time AVCA All-Region accolades in their program history.
Crow, a first-time AVCA All-Region recipient, has been sensational in her first year in Tiger black and gold. Entering Sweet 16 action this weekend, Crow leads Mizzou in kills (433), kills per set (4.01), aces (47), aces per set (0.44) and points (517.0).
The powerful Tiger outside hitter was also recently named to the All-SEC team for the first time in her career. Additionally, Crow was named SEC Offensive Player of the Week three times this season, as well as an overall SEC Player of the Week accolade (Nov. 7). In national statistic rankings, Crow ranks top 30 in aces per set, total aces and points per set.
Kan, a four-time AVCA All-Region recipient, is in midst of concluding one of the finest careers in Mizzou Volleyball history. Currently, she ranks top 5 all-time in career kills (1,657), attacks (4,344), digs (1,435) and points (1,884). Kan also places top 10 all-time in career digs per set (2.92) and points per set (3.84).
In 2016, Kan has once again played a pivotal role into Mizzou's overall success. She leads the team with 13 double-doubles (sixth-most in SEC), including eight double-doubles in SEC action and one in NCAA Tournament play. Kan showed her versatility throughout the season, earning Week 5 SEC Co-Offensive Player of the Week and Week 14 SEC Defensive Player of the Week honors.
Kan becomes the only player in Mizzou Volleyball history with four all-time First Team AVCA All-Region awards. Additionally, she is only one of six players in the nation to receive First Team All-Region honors in each of the past four years.
Munlyn, a two-time AVCA All-Region recipient, has followed up her breakthrough 2015 AVCA All-American and SEC Freshman of the Year season with another outstanding effort in her sophomore campaign. Entering this weekend's Sweet 16 matchup, she paces the Tigers in overall hitting (.427), solo blocks (33), block assists (116), total blocks (149) and blocks per set (1.26).
In national statistic rankings, Munlyn ranks fourth in hitting percentage and top 55 in total blocks and blocks per set. She is one block away from breaking her own single-season Mizzou Volleyball total blocks record. In late-November, Munlyn also recorded her second-consecutive All-SEC award.
Larson, a two-time AVCA All-Region honoree, once again solidified herself as one of the conference's top right side hitters. In 2016, she clinched her second-consecutive season with 250-plus kills, .300-plus hitting, 25-plus aces, 115-plus digs, 85-plus total blocks and 300-plus points.
The hard-hitting Fargo, N.D., native is one of five Tigers with 200-plus kills on the year. Larson has produced 13 matches with eight-plus kills this season, while hitting .300 or higher in 17 matches. She has shined thus far in Mizzou's 2016 NCAA Tournament run, tallying 17 kills on team-high .412 hitting.
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