Story credited to East Texas Baptist University. 

MARSHALL, Texas – Guiding East Texas Baptist University to their finest season in program history, head coach Mallory Matthews has been named the American Volleyball Coaches Association's Coach of the Year. Coach Matthews has improved the program every year since her return to her alma mater in December 2021, winning the American Southwest Conference Tournament and advancing to the NCAA Tournament in the last three seasons. She has earned four ASC Coach of the Year awards and twice been recognized by the AVCA as the best coach in Region 10.
 
"On behalf of ETBU Athletics, I could not be more proud and excited for Coach Mallory Matthews for being named National Coach of the Year. Her leadership, integrity, and Christ-centered approach to competition have shaped not only a championship-caliber volleyball program but also young women who strive to showcase their faith on and off the court. The impact she has had at ETBU among her team and their pursuit for excellence on the court, in the classroom, in their faith, and how they serve the community is exactly what we strive for at ETBU," Senior Vice President for Campus Life Ryan Erwin said. 
"She models what it means to compete with purpose, serve with humility, and glorify God in all things. This honor is a testament to her tireless work, her unwavering faith, and the profound impact she continues to have on our student-athletes and the ETBU community." 
 
Matthews has led ETBU to be one of three programs in Division I, II, III to remain undefeated, alongside Nebraska (26-0)  and Tampa (25-0). Her team this season has set many records, including the best program start, most wins in a season, the longest consecutive winning streak, and the longest home winning streak (42 games). ETBU won their third straight ASC Tournament Championship, second straight outright ASC regular-season title, and the Medford, Mass. Regional Championship, and is the first team in the ASC history to advance to the NCAA National Championship Tournament. ETBU reached No. 1 in the nation for the first time in program history and posted the top NPI ranking all season.
 
This season, ETBU is 34-0, with notable wins over three teams at the NCAA National Championship Tournament: No. 5 Wisconsin-Eau Claire, No. 6 Trinity (TX), and No. 8 Berry. The Tigers have beaten 10 opponents ranked in the top 50 in NPI. Her team posted ranked wins at the NCAA Medford, Mass., Regional, defeating #18 Emory University, and won the championship over #14 Tufts University. 
 
Matthews has been recognized as Coach of the Year in the American Southwest Conference two years in a row and was the ASC East Coach of the Year twice, at LeTourneau University in 2019 and 2021. She is the second coach in the program's history to win three ASC Tournament Championships in a row, alongside Suzanne Wingrove (2001-2003). She is now 109-13 in her four-year tenure at ETBU and 160-43 overall. She has posted a 37-7 ASC record at ETBU, going 27-1 over the past three years, and is 67-26 in seven seasons combined.
 
Four players have been named to the AVCA All-American team this season under Matthews: Graycee Mosley, Anita Hancock, Lara Hornsby, and Lexi Moody. Mosley is now a four-time AVCA All-American and broke the record for program kills in the NCAA Tournament. All four players and Callie Humphrey were also named AVCA All-Region, as eight players were named All-ASC.
 
Matthews played four years at ETBU from 2013 to 2016 before joining the UT Tyler coaching staff as a graduate assistant. She started her head coaching career at LeTourneau (2019-21) before returning to the Tigers in 2022. She is married to Tanner Matthews, Associate Head Coach of ETBU Baseball and former ETBU baseball player, since 2018, and they have two boys.
 
ETBU plays in the NCAA Division III National Championship Tournament in Bloomington, Ill., on December 3, at 4:30 p.m. Central Time against No. 8 Berry College.