Sports

Quite a coup for the UBC Okanagan women's volleyball program.

In just its second year at the CIS (Canadian Interuniversity Sport) level, women's head volleyball coach Steve Manuel has been named CIS Coach of the Year.

This on the heels of being named Canada West Women's Volleyball Coach of the Year a week ago.

Photo: Contributed - UBC-O

Heat women's volley coach Steve Manuel has been named CIS coach of the year

Manuel becomes the first major award winner at the school since it began competing at the CIS level in 2011.

He led the Heat to a fourth place finish in the highly competitive Canada West league with a 15-7 record, earning a home playoff date.

The team made its first ever appearance in the Top 10 in late November and was eventually ranked nationally in eight of 14 weekly coaches' polls.

"I am very pleased for Steve, particularly as I am aware of the very high calibre of the other conference coaches of the year," says UBCO Athletic Director, Rob Johnson.

"On top of all his other excellent qualities, he is a humble person and I know it means a great deal to him to be recognized by his peers and to be included in a group of nominees he himself holds in such high esteem."

Manuel just completed his 12th season coaching the Heat.

Over the span he was named women's volleyball coach of the year by the CCAA on two occasions and is also a double winner as national coach of the year across all sports.

Freshman setter Emily Oxland was also named a member of the CIS women's volleyball all-rookie team.

The North Vancouver native was also named to the Canada West all-rookie team.

Kelowna native Veronica Livingston who is attending Ryerson was also named to the all-rookie team.

The awards were handed out Wednesday night in Sherbrooke, QC, the site of this weeks national finals.