Frank Lavrisha, one of the winningest coaches in NCAA Division II history during a 30-year stay at Regis University in Denver, Colo., has been named head women's volleyball coach at the University of San Francisco.
 
Lavrisha succeeds former head coach Vicki Brown, who was appointed associate head coach at the University of Iowa after guiding the Dons for 2016 season. Lavrisha becomes the 11th head volleyball coach in program history, which dates back to 1979.
 
"Frank Lavrisha is one of the great volleyball coaches of all-time," said USF Director of Athletics Scott Sidwell. "His record over the past 30 years is phenomenal, accumulating over 600 wins and multiple runs in the NCAA Tournament.  It has been over 10 years in which we've competed at the top of the West Coast Conference and been in position to advance to the NCAA postseason tournament.   We are constantly looking for people to join our team that know how to win at the highest level and Frank has done just that.  He will help enhance our culture of winning in all areas of the athletic department."
 
"I am very excited to join the USF community as the head volleyball coach and to have the privilege of coaching in the WCC," said Lavrisha. "It is an outstanding opportunity with a quality Jesuit university, world-recognizable location, and the committed resources from Athletic Director Scott Sidwell. We are going forward in constructing a competitive program that will represent USF in the best way possible on the court, in the classroom and to our communities."
 
In his 30-year tenure as head coach at Regis from 1986-2016, Lavrisha compiled a 637-353 (.643) overall record, including a 374-133 (.737) mark in conference play. His 637 career wins rank 17th all-time among NCAA Division II head coaches. During his 30 years on the sidelines, the Rangers made 20 NCAA Division II postseason appearances, advanced to the Elite Eight on six occasions and made two Final Fours appearances. Lavrisha's teams enjoyed 15, 20-win seasons, finished with a .500 record or better 25 times, won 11 conference titles and went undefeated in conference play on three occasions.
 
Lavrisha earned conference coach-of-the-year honors six times and in 1988, was named Volleyball Monthly's NCAA Division II Coach of the Year after the Rangers compiled a 38-7 record en route to a fourth place finish at the NCAA Division II Championships.
 
He produced 19 AVCA Division II All-Americans, one AVCA National Player of the Year in setter Melinda Almazan (1998) and six GTE/CoSIDA Academic All-America selections. Almazan was also the recipient of the 1998-99 Honda Award as the NCAA Division II Collegiate Female Athlete of the Year.
 
Lavrisha, a 1979 graduate of Ohio State University, is well-connected to the national volleyball community, as well. He has twice served as an U.S. Olympic Festival head coach and in 1991, guided the West Team to a gold medal in Los Angeles. His international experience includes leading the U.S. "B" team on a tour through Asia in 1994 and assisting the USA Youth National Team to the NORCECA Championship in 2006 and the World Championships in 2007.