GLASSBORO, NJ –
Matt Verlinghieri was named the 2025 American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) Division III Assistant Coach of the Year announced on Monday.
AVCA OFFICIAL RELEASE
Verlinghieri navigated the Rowan Volleyball Program through a trying season after taking over for head coach
Deana Jespersen in early October. Jespersen would lose her courageous and inspiring battle with cancer a month later.
The New Jersey Athletic Conference honored Jespersen, Verlinghieri and assistants
Gaelen Fitzgerald,
Julia Worth,
Emma Gosbin, and student assistant
Kyra Hissner as the
2025 NJAC Women's Volleyball Coaching Staff of the Year.
Verlinghieri, who is in his fourth season here in Glassboro, helped guide four players to
all-conference honors with
Jessica Smart (the 2025 NJAC Rookie of the Year) and
Raven Albrecht, both freshmen, to AVCA
All-Region and
All-American accolades.
The team would put together a 7-1 NJAC record to earn the #2 seed in the conference tournament. A semifinal loss ended the Profs' season at 25-6.
He becomes the 16th coach in AVCA history to claim the award since its inception of the honor in 2009.
