AVC Coaches

Meredith Rice

Club Director & Recruiting Coordinator

Meredith is AVC’s Club Director and Recruiting Coordinator.  Specifically, she will oversee 15-18 National teams. A native from California, Meredith had 8 years of coaching experience, both as an Assistant and as a Head Coach before joining AVC in 2013. Meredith and Jeff Reaser both came to AVC the same year, and together they helped lead the 17 White team to qualify Open during their first season. To this day, AVC is the only club in the Ohio Valley Region to qualify 2 Open teams in the same age group and a part of a short list of clubs Nationally that have done it. She has coached in many USAV and JVA Tournament Championships at the Open level and two seasons at the collegiate level. At the club level, she has qualified for Nationals 14 times and finished in the top 12 five of those times. During her time at AVC, she has advised hundreds of athletes during their recruiting process and eventual commitment to college. In addition to coaching an abundance of players who have gone onto play at NCAA DI/DII/DIII universities, a handful have also pursued professional careers overseas.

Meredith was elected to the AVCA Assistant Coaches Committee in 2017 as the Club Representative and currently, she is on multiple committees and boards related to national and regional volleyball. Her latest addition has been joining the SWEAT group at 3 Step Sports. SWEAT is for Strong Women Empowering Athletes Together and the main goal is to prioritize advancement, expand opportunities and elevate excellence in women’s sports. 

She has presented at the AVCA Convention the last five years on various topics from training to recruiting. 

For the 2023-24 season Meredith will be the Head Coach of 17 Red, assist 18 Red and help lead the outsider hitter training during National tier training practices. 

Paul Schiffer

Asst Club Director, Co-Founder, Owner

Paul is one of the founders and the current owner of AVC.  He is the Head Coach for 17 Red.  He was the Assistant Coach on the 2015 AAU 17 Open National Championship team. He has coached several teams to OVR Championships as well as leading his teams to USAV Nationals 18 times. Paul has served as a Coach for teams that have Qualified Open 14 times. He has coached over 200 athletes that have gone on to play in college.  He has coached at the CYO, Regional, National and Open level. He also serves as the Business Development Director for the club.

Kara Schiffer

Director of Logistics & Operations

Kara has been coaching with AVC since 2017. She played for Walsh Jesuit HS and was on an AVC team during their inaugural season. She also played D1 volleyball at Loyola University Maryland where she was a libero/DS for 4 years.  Kara is currently an assistant coach for 17 Red.  In addition to coaching, she is the club’s logistics and operations director.  Professionally, Kara works as a financial analyst. 

Liz George DiGeronimo

10-13s Director & 14 National Director

Liz has been coaching volleyball for over 10 years and has been with AVC since 2018.  She has coached at every level from 12 regional to 17 national and has qualified multiple teams for nationals. Liz is a graduate of the University of Dayton where she was a member of the Women’s Rowing Team. Liz currently teaches history at Magnificat, where she is also the Varsity Assistant Coach. 

Mary Duffy

14-18 American/Regional Director

Mary joined the AVC coaching staff in 2020. Prior to AVC, she was a Head Coach at CVC and CYO Volleyball Coach at St. Christopher School for 6 seasons. She is also currently a Board Member and League Director of adult AA/Open leagues at Cleveland Eastside Turners. From 2011 through 2019, Mary was the Supervisor of the adult volleyball program at the City of Rocky River managing 80+ teams and officials 4 nights per week. Mary is IMPACT, Safesport, First Aid, CPR, and Concussion certified. She has also trained with USAV and OHSAA as a volleyball official.

Anthony Winter

Player Development Director

Anthony joined the AVC coaching staff in 2023.  He played collegiate volleyball as a D1 outside hitter at Quincy University.  Anthony was a 3x academic all-conference player, captain his senior year and finished 6^th for the Karch Kiraly Award.  (The Karch Kiraly Award is presented to the best OH in D1 Men’s Volleyball.)  Anthony ended his senior season in the top 10 in the conference for Kills, Digs, Aces, and Points. He also finished 4th place at NCAA Collegiate Beach Championship. 

After college, Anthony went on to be the Graduate Assistant Coach at Missouri Western State University (2018 – 2020), before moving on to his current coaching position as the Assistant Coach for Baldwin Wallace Women’s Volleyball (2020 – current).  Anthony is also the current Program Director at Sandbox Volleyball (2017 – current). 

Professionally, Anthony plays on Cleveland Kong (Cleveland’s VLA Men’s Volleyball Team).  In 2022, the team was the East Division Cup Champions. 

Addy Ginley

Coach

Bio coming soon!

Anthony Winter

Player Development Director

Anthony joined the AVC coaching staff in 2023.  He played collegiate volleyball as a D1 outside hitter at Quincy University.  Anthony was a 3x academic all-conference player, captain his senior year and finished 6^th for the Karch Kiraly Award.  (The Karch Kiraly Award is presented to the best OH in D1 Men’s Volleyball.)  Anthony ended his senior season in the top 10 in the conference for Kills, Digs, Aces, and Points. He also finished 4th place at NCAA Collegiate Beach Championship. 

After college, Anthony went on to be the Graduate Assistant Coach at Missouri Western State University (2018 – 2020), before moving on to his current coaching position as the Assistant Coach for Baldwin Wallace Women’s Volleyball (2020 – current).  Anthony is also the current Program Director at Sandbox Volleyball (2017 – current). 

Professionally, Anthony plays on Cleveland Kong (Cleveland’s VLA Men’s Volleyball Team).  In 2022, the team was the East Division Cup Champions. 

Ashley Landis

Coach

Bio coming soon!

Becky Patton

Coach

Becky started coaching for AVC during the 2023–2024 season.  Before joining AVC, she coached in the Nordonia district and for CYO. She has been playing both indoor and beach volleyball for over 20 years, and for the past decade, she’s mainly focused on competitive beach doubles. Volleyball has always been a passion of hers, and she enjoys sharing that passion through coaching!

Becky’s goal, in addition to teaching the game’s skills, is to help players develop a lifelong love for the sport. Becky met her husband of 12 years, Mike, through beach volleyball. They have three kids—Kendall (11), Kaiden (10), and Carter (9)—and a maltipoo named Bentley. All of their kids are involved in different sports but share a love for volleyball, which she hopes continues forever.

Brinn MacLellan

Coach

Brinn is excited to join the AVC coaching staff for the 2024-25 season as an assistant coach for the 14 Red team. This is her first season with the club, and she also assists with coaching pin hitters during group training days. Brinn played high school volleyball at Gilmour Academy and served as team captain for three years. During her senior year, she was fortunate to be part of a state championship team. She continued her volleyball career at Virginia Tech, where she played on the club team throughout college and had the opportunity to serve as team captain for one year. Brinn earned her degree in Cognitive and Behavioral Neuroscience with a minor in Leadership and Social Change. Before transitioning to volleyball coaching, Brinn spent three years coaching gymnastics. With a strong belief in the power of mindset, Brinn encourages players to develop both their physical and mental skills to achieve success on and off the court.

Brooke Hjerpe

Coach

Bio coming soon!

Caleb Francis

Coach

After starting his coaching career in 2018, Caleb was excited to join the coaching staff at AVC in 2023!  Caleb has coached numerous levels of JO volleyball and has been coaching at the national level for multiple seasons. Caleb has coached numerous athletes that have gone on to play at the collegiate level spanning across both Division 1 & 2. 

He is excited to be part of a staff that encourages growth from both players and coaches, creating a culture that is both competitive and rewarding and ensures that players are setup to achieve their goals. Caleb’s coaching philosophy can be summed up by “I am, because we are” a very team first attitude.

Cassie Owens

Coach

Bio Coming Soon!

Chloe Koz

Coach

Bio coming soon!

Clarise Williams

Coach

Bio coming soon!

Craig Peterson

Coach

Craig’s passion for volleyball began in 7th grade in Pennsylvania, where he played through high school before continuing his collegiate career at Indiana University of Pennsylvania (IUP) and Ball State University.

With over 15 years of experience coaching high school volleyball in Pennsylvania and Ohio, he has built a strong track record of developing athletes and fostering competitive teams. 2024-25 marks his first season coaching club volleyball at AVC, but he brings a wealth of experience, having coached club teams for over 25 years in Ohio and Florida.

Throughout his coaching career, Craig has been committed to developing well-rounded athletes by focusing on technical skills, game strategy, and mental toughness. He takes pride in mentoring players to reach their full potential, both on and off the court. His coaching philosophy emphasizes discipline, teamwork, and a growth mindset, helping athletes prepare for the next level of competition.
Craig’s dedication to the game and commitment to player development makes him a valuable asset to AVC. He looks forward to using my experience and passion to contribute to the success of my teams and inspire the next generation of volleyball players.

Dan Mihacevich

Coach

Dan joined AVC in 2017 to coach with the best talent and best coaching staff in the area.  Dan’s coaching philosophy is to “always be competing!” 
Dan played volleyball at The Ohio State University where he earned 2 team MVP awards, 3 all conference awards and holds the all time kill record and points record for a single match.  Dan is also in the Buckeye record books for service aces and digs.  In 1996 Dan was selected for the Olympic Festival training program where he trained with the National Team coaching staff and the best players in the country.  Dan has won 10 Ohio Valley Region Adult championships and in 2018, Dan finished 2nd in the adult 40+ USA Volleyball National championship. Dan loves the “intense, competitive, forward thinking training environment at AVC.  This is truly a place where players can reach their full potential” Dan has coached youth sports since 2007 including soccer and volleyball.  Dan still plays soccer and volleyball competitively. Dan’s wife Kristen and daughter Ella also coach at AVC, while his other 2 daughters are playing collegiately. 

Danny Stintsman

Coach

Bio Coming Soon!

Darek Sierko

Coach

Darek joined AVC in 2020.  He has a passion for teaching athletes the fundamentals of the game and developing proper techniques that are essential to grow as a volleyball player.  Growing up, he played high school volleyball in Europe.  Currently, Darek is coaching and helping to run the CYO program at St. Michael School in Independence. He is a certified OHSAA volleyball official, as well as concussion, CPR, Safe Sport, and USA Volleyball IMPACT certified.

David Bowler

Coach

David joined AVC in 2024. He played four years of varsity men’s volleyball at Brecksville-Broadview Hts., receiving all-state honorable mentions his senior year. David attended the University of Dayton and was a practice player for the Dayton Women’s volleyball team (2019 – 2021). He has been a certified USAV referee for 4 years. While it is his first year coaching indoor, he is a beach volleyball coach at Sandbox (2019 – Present) and helps out with various indoor camps around Cleveland. David is looking forward to growing his career and sharing his love for volleyball with others.

Dawn Madison

Coach

For the 2025-26 season, Dawn is entering her second season coaching at AVC and her fifth-year coaching overall! She has previously coached at Euclid High School (her Alma Mater), Hawken Upper, and currently Saint Joseph Academy where she led the Freshmen team through an impressive season (17-1). 

Dawn’s volleyball career began at nine years old and continues into adulthood as she still competes in indoor and outdoor leagues. Her coaching style is fueled by high energy and passion for the game which she hopes to instill in every athlete she works with. She believes in helping athletes develop not only in their skills, but also in confidence and character- values that go far beyond volleyball.

Away from volleyball, Dawn holds a bachelor’s degree in Public Health and works at a small community school called Near West – as the Student Wellness Coordinator. In her free time, she enjoys photography, traveling, and being with her son, friends, and family. 

Declan Pierce

Coach

Declan Pierce brings a wealth of playing and coaching experience to the program. A former Division I libero at Penn State University (2016–2020), he was part of the 2017 EIVA Conference Championship team and earned Academic All-Big Ten honors in 2019.

After college, Declan began his coaching career as an Assistant Coach at D’Youville University, helping transition the men’s volleyball program from Division III to Division II (2020–2022). He then served as a Graduate Assistant Coach at Baldwin Wallace University from 2022 to 2024 while earning his MBA in Strategic Marketing.

With a background in biomechanics and kinesiology, Declan applies a technical, science-based approach to skill development, helping athletes refine their mechanics for maximum efficiency and performance. He remains active in the game, competing in semi-professional volleyball while continuing to develop the next generation of athletes.

This is Declan’s first year coaching at AVC, and he is excited to bring his experience and passion for the game to the club.

Dylan Sullivan

Coach

Coach Dylan was born and raised in Nebraska. He grew up in a family that loved volleyball and spent many weekends at club tournaments for his sister as the team ball boy. Coach Dylan grew up with a strong desire to play volleyball. However, due to growing up in a small town with no boy’s high school or club team within 90 miles, it wasn’t until he got to the University of Nebraska that he was able to start playing in indoor and sand leagues. While at Nebraska, Coach Dylan attended nearly every home Nebraska Volleyball game. Seeing the play at such a high level, he began dissecting the game and his love for the game deepened. His freshman year of college, he coached his hometown’s girl’s club team.

After college, Coach Dylan moved to New York City and played in a men’s competitive indoor league. Upon moving to Cleveland, he began coaching at AVC in 2022 and is entering his third season with the club. Coach Dylan’s goal is to develop players with a deep love of the game and the drive to be the best they can be. Outside of volleyball, Coach Dylan is an elementary teacher. Dylan is also the Solon Varsity Assistant Volleyball Coach.

Ella Mihacevich

Coach

Ella completed her fifth season of Division I college volleyball in the fall of 2024 after finishing her club career at AVC in 2020, and is excited to return to the club as a coach. She is currently the assistant for 17 Red and is co-leading setter training for the 12-18 national teams. Her parents, Dan and Kristen, also coach at AVC, and her younger sisters, Kate and Anna, are former AVC players who have started their own college volleyball careers. Drawing from her playing experience and family coaching background, Ella focuses on developing discipline and mental toughness in her athletes.

During her college career, Ella played in all but one match, seeing court time as a setter, defensive specialist, and right side hitter. She spent four years at Northern Illinois University before transferring to Cleveland State University for her COVID year. At CSU, Ella helped lead the Vikings to win the Horizon League Championship and to an NCAA Tournament appearance in 2024.

Career Highlights:

*   3,021 assists

*   1,040 digs

*   528 kills

*   146 service aces

*   31 double-doubles

*   2 triple-doubles

Before her collegiate career, Ella played at Padua Franciscan High School, where she earned First Team All-State and Under Armour All-America honors. She helped lead her team to a Division II state title in 2017 and two state runner-up finishes in Division I in 2018 and 2019.

Ella’s goal is to inspire young girls to achieve their full potential while cultivating a love for the game, and to give back to the club that played such a formative role in her development as both an athlete and a person.

Emma Bernardini

Coach

Bio coming soon!

Erika Snyder

Coach

Erika has been coaching at AVC since 2020 after moving to Cleveland. Throughout her life, volleyball has been a huge part, and she has experience with both indoor and sand. She is also the head varsity coach at Solon high school and has previous high school and JO experience at many different levels. Her favorite part of AVC is the training, culture, and how driven our players are. Erika studied business administration at Stark State and works as a Facilities Coordinator. Outside of volleyball, she enjoys traveling and hanging out with her cats. 

Erin Dziak

Coach

Coach Erin has been a part of the AVC coaching staff since 2021. She has been the assistant coach for 13 American, 14 Gold, and 16 Blue (twice). Out of her four years at AVC, Erin has been with Coach Nikki for three seasons. In high school, Coach Erin played at AVC for two years and when given the opportunity to come back as a coach, she took the opportunity. She specializes in middle hitting and blocking, but loves anything at the net. When not at AVC, Coach Erin is a middle school English teacher. She does offer to read over any assignments and papers, but no one has taken her up on the offer yet!

Garrett Phemister

Coach

Bio coming soon!

George Kambic

Coach

George Kambic is one of the original coaches for AVC, having been with the club since its inception.  In addition, he has been involved with volleyball in the Cleveland area for 30 years, most of this time spent with the St. Rita CYO program in Solon, Ohio.  He has also coached at Hathaway Brown and Hawken.  At AVC, he has coached or assisted at the Regional and American levels mostly at 15 and under, focusing on the development of talent.

Grace Williams

Coach

After joining the AVC coaching staff in 2024, Grace is excited to be entering into her second season at AVC.  In her first season, she successfully coached two teams, 17 Maroon and 14 Scarlet.  For the 2025 season, she is coaching 15 Maroon.  Grace has played volleyball for over 10 years, including playing at Thiel College for 2 years as a middle hitter.  Recently, she graduated from Baldwin Wallace University with a bachelor’s degree in Healthcare Administration.  

Harlen Phemister

Coach

Bio coming soon!

Heaven Santiago

Coach

Bio coming soon!

Hollie Price

Coach

At 22 years old, Coach Hollie brings energy, enthusiasm, and a genuine love for the game to every practice and match. A lifelong athlete, she played volleyball throughout high school, where she developed strong leadership skills and a deep understanding of teamwork, discipline, and dedication.

Although new to coaching, Hollie’s passion for the sport and her commitment to helping players grow set her apart. She believes in building a positive and supportive team culture where every athlete feels valued and motivated to reach their full potential.

Hollie is excited to share her experience, positivity, and drive with the team—both on and off the court.

Janelle Womack

Coach

Bio coming soon!

Jayme Zoeckler

Coach

Jayme is an AVC alum, finishing her AVC club career on 18 Red. She is a 2025 graduate of Walsh University. She is currently an assistant coach at Lake Erie College, where she is also working on her masters. 

Jayme played three years at Notre Dame College where she holds the program records for assists per set (9.55 A/S), tied the three-set match record with 42 assists, most service aces in a three-set match (7) and second most aces in all matches. She posted a career-high 60 assists, which is the third-most in NDC program history. She reached 2,000 assists; being 4th in career assists in program history. She ranked 2nd in the MEC in assists (888 assists) and 4th in the MEC with 39 aces (0.42/set), ranking 3rd in NDC program history. She was named Honorable Mention All-MEC and earned Academic All-District and Academic All-Mountain East Conference honors.

She played her final year at Walsh University, breaking the Walsh career aces record with 128 and earned G-MAC Athlete of the Week honors after totaling 75 assists across two games. She finished the season 1st in assists and aces and 3rd in digs earning 997 assists, 276 digs, 42 kills, 34 aces, 32 blocks, and 12 double-doubles for the Cavaliers.

Jayme finished her collegiate career with 3,127 assists, 895 digs, 143 kills, 128 aces, 80 blocks and 35 double doubles.

Jenny Phillips

Coach

Jenny has over 20 years of volleyball coaching experience.  She started her coaching career at her high school alma mater, Holy Name, where she was the head coach of freshman and varsity volleyball for 10 years.  As varsity head coach at Holy Name, she was named North Coast League Coach of the Year three times.  After taking a break from coaching to raise her two children, Jenny jumped back into coach CYO volleyball at St. Michael School in Independence for the past 5 years.  As a coach, she strives to balance core skill development and individual growth with a positive team environment that will foster a lifelong love of the game!

Jessica McCabe

Coach

Jessica McCabe began coaching at AVC in the 2019-2020 season. Prior to joining AVC, she coached youth recreational volleyball in the Kenston school district for 5 years. She played volleyball during her high school years, participated in club level volleyball during college, and continued to compete during her younger adult life in co-ed tournaments/leagues. She is excited to be back for another season and hopes to continue to develop her player’s volleyball skills as well as their love of the game. Her interest in youth sports stems not only from her own experiences, but from her background as a physical therapist. In particular, she is interested in promoting wellness and proper technique in the female athlete. She has a supportive husband of 22 years and three children all active in different sports. She works as a physical therapist at the Cleveland VA in stroke rehabilitation research and as an adjunct professor at Cleveland State University School of Physical Therapy.

Jo Riley

Coach

Bio coming soon!

Jodis Hegg

Coach

Jodis joined the AVC coaching staff for the 2024-2025 season. She brings recent experience from a strong club in Charlotte, NC, where her 13s team secured the 2023-2024 Carolina Region Championship. Her coaching philosophy centers on building a strong foundation of fundamental skills while encouraging a deep love for volleyball. Jodis, a Savannah, GA native who began playing club at 11 and still plays sand, is excited to guide players in their athletic journey. 

John Thomas

Coach

Bio coming soon!

Jordan Kortowich

Coach

Jordan grew up in Cleveland and has played competitive volleyball since she was 10 years old. Throughout her 4 years at Saint Joseph Academy, she was a varsity letter athlete for all 4 years. Jordan has been coaching JO since 2016 and joined the AVC coaching staff in 2022 where she assisted the 16 white team and has helped with the development of passers. Jordan took on the head coach position at Saint Joseph Academy in 2024, where she guided the Jaguars to the D1 OHSAA State championship, locking in her first Final Four appearance. 

Kelly Wayne

Coach

Kelly, a Cleveland native, grew up playing club volleyball before competing at the Division I level as a setter at Robert Morris University. After graduation, she expanded her coaching experience across multiple levels, including college, varsity, middle school, and youth programs.

She joined AVC in 2020 and has been a dedicated educator at Kenston for 25 years, balancing her passion for both teaching and coaching.

Kelsey Polak

Coach

Kelsey Polak grew up in Cleveland and played 6 years of club volleyball before playing NCAA Division I Volleyball at Towson University. After graduating, Kelsey assisted Gilmour Academy Varsity Volleyball for 6-years and helped the Lancers to 2-State Championships, and 5-State Final Four finishes. She has coached club volleyball since 2016 and trained setters with 2 local area clubs before joining AVC in 2022 and overseeing National team setter training. 

Kiana Mack

Coach

Kiana joined the AVC coaching staff during the 2024-2025 season.  Transitioning from player to coach, Kiana has returned to AVC to impart her knowledge and experience to the next generation of athletes!

Playing Career:

• Club Volleyball: Kiana honed her skills over seven years as a middle blocker with AVC. Contributing to multiple teams that qualified for Open-level competitions.
• High School: Attended Solon High School, where during her senior year, she led her team to the state semifinals. Kiana earned second Team All-Ohio honors, as well as first-team all-district and all-conference recognitions.  
• Collegiate Volleyball:
  • University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB): As a four-year starter, Kiana played in 303 sets across 87 matches, amassing 370 kills and 214 blocks. She led the team with a .351 hitting percentage and 50 total blocks during the 2021 season.  
  • Kent State University: Utilizing her fifth year of eligibility, Kiana served as a team captain.

Korey Middlebrooks

Coach

Korey is super excited to be coaching for AVC for the 2024-2025 season. She has played volleyball her entire life, bringing extreme passion and dedication to enhance the experience to all athletes, both on and off the court. Korey specializes in training 14-17 year olds, which she believes is a pivotal time for young athletes to perfect their craft. Korey has been coaching for 4 years, including the Euclid High School boys and girls volleyball programs. Korey is thrilled to continue her coaching career with AVC and to have an impact on the new culture of the game, providing new ideas for training, discipline and building confidence in our athletes. 

Krisandra Mezera

Coach

Coach Krisandra has played volleyball since she was 13 in the middle blocker position. She continued on to play volleyball at the collegiate level at D2 Ursuline College where she also earned her Bachelor’s of Science in Nursing. She still currently plays as much as possible in competitive adult leagues and tournaments all around northeast Ohio. This will be her second year coaching at AVC and she is enjoying the new perspective coaching the game has given her! When she is not coaching or playing volleyball, she is an ICU nurse at the Cleveland Clinic Fairview. 

Kristen Mihacevich

Coach

Kristen came to AVC in 2020, after coaching club for 8 years in the Cleveland area.  She has had a lifelong love for the game of volleyball, enjoys personally competing and coaching young ladies to become great players.  She specializes in training 10-12 year old teams.  She first began playing volleyball in 7th grade and continues to this day.  She played for Midview High School and Cleveland State University, coached at Beachwood Middle School, where she taught for 7 years, and even met her husband at a sand tournament 20+ years ago!  Her enthusiasm and energy coupled with her application of teaching the foundational volleyball skills to all players are her strengths that will benefit the players and marry well with the great culture of this club.

Kristi Kosir

Coach

Bio coming soon!

Kristin Primozic

Coach

Bio coming soon!

Leeanna Barr

Coach

Bio coming soon!

Linda Honey-Dixon

Coach

Coach Honey’s passion for volleyball thrives on enhancing volleyball IQ and respect for the game. She believes that young athletes excel when they understand the dynamics of character, commitment, and community as necessities to building skills and confidence.  Her team motto “All for one. One for all. TEAM!” encourages athletes and their families to unite on and off the court.

Coach Honey has accumulated well over 30 years of coaching experience: from middle school to high school, camps to J.O., as well as personal skills and court awareness training locally and across many states.

Welcome, to the BEST game around the gl🏐be! 

Lorenzo Grooms

Coach

Lorenzo has been coaching CYO volleyball for the last 4 years at St. Mark in Westpark.  He has been affiliated with AVC since his daughters started playing travel volleyball back in 2016.  His love of the game has grown through watching his 3 daughters play.  

Lorenzo is a graduate of Bradley University and an alumnus of St. Ignatius High School.  He is currently the Materials and Logistics Manager for Avtron Power Solutions.   

Maddie Lieb

Coach

Bio coming soon!

Marci Zoeckler

Coach

Marci came to AVC in 2017 with over 20 years coaching and leadership experience. She has been the Volleyball Coordinator at St Barnabas School since 2005 where she leads and organizes all aspects of the girls 3rd-8th grade, boys 5th-8th grade, and co-ed high school teams. She has coached CYO volleyball since 1996. Marci has coached women’s college and high school volleyball for over 10 years and is currently the freshmen head coach at Hudson High School. She is in her 9th year as head coach of the Cleveland State Men’s Volleyball Team and was named the 2022 NCVF D1 Men’s Coach of the Year. At the club level, she has coached Regional, American, and National teams. She has qualified two AVC teams, 11 Red and 15 Blue, for Nationals. Marci and her husband have 7 children and live in Sagamore Hills. She is IMPACT, SafeSport, First Aid, CPR, Concussion, and Cardiac Arrest certified.

Martinae McMichael

Coach

Bio coming soon! 

McKenna Brown

Coach

Bio coming soon!

Meg Merril

Coach

Bio coming soon!

Melissa Young

Coach

Melissa has been coaching at AVC since 2022.  Prior to that, she coached CYO, played high school volleyball internationally, and played in college as a defensive specialist. Her training focuses on developing athletes to have the best technique and confidence, using movement, strength, and conditioning to get long term results. She believes training starts with a positive mindset so she runs progression-based practices that focus on game preparedness. Melissa enjoys teaching the love of the game through compassion and fun.  She is USA Volleyball IMPACT, SafeSport, First Aid, CPR, Concussion, and Cardiac Arrest certified.

“You have to expect things of yourself before you can do them”

Mike Westgate

Coach

Mike has been playing competitive indoor and outdoor volleyball for over 20 years. Mike joined AVC in 2022 to be an assistant coach for the AVC 11U White team.  Mike’s approach to coaching is to share his love of the game and bring out the potential of young talent. Mike is a proud father of 2 daughters both of whom play club at AVC. Mike believes that the friendships, competitiveness, and exercise that can be obtained through volleyball at a young age and well into the adult years is unmatched by any other sport.

Milly Laury

Coach

Bio Coming Soon!

Mya Suber

Coach

Mya joined AVC during the 2022-23 season. She graduated from Euclid High School and played volleyball from the age of 10 all the way through high school. Mya started coaching in her 10th grade year in high school for a city little league. When she graduated, she moved on to coach high school volleyball at Euclid and then Cleveland Heights High School. She is currently a volleyball coach at Roxboro Middle School in Cleveland Heights. Mya recently graduated from Cleveland State University this past spring with her bachelors degree in healthcare administration. She is currently working towards her masters!

Naomi Nyetrae

Coach

Naomi Nyetrae has been coaching volleyball since 2021 and has experienced coaching a 15 Regional team, a 16 American team, and now a 17 National team. Away from AVC, she has coached at Hathaway Brown for the past 2 seasons as their Junior Varsity head coach. Naomi has been involved with the game of volleyball since she was 10 years old, and thoroughly enjoys playing when she can and coaching the game she loves. Naomi played as a defensive specialist and has been able to enhance her coaching experience through mentorship, scouting reports, educational resources, observation, and more. Naomi is currently enrolled at Cleveland State University and seeking her Masters in Social Work. Naomi is beyond excited for another great season at AVC and cannot wait to see the growth that this year holds in her team and herself as a coach.

Nick Owens

Coach

Bio coming soon!

Nicole Lee

Coach

Coach Nicole is excited to be the assistant coach for 16 Maroon this 2025–2026 season! Last year, she served as the head coach for 16 Black, and this past fall she led a very successful 7th grade team at Solon Middle School. Coaching has become one of her greatest passions, and she loves helping players grow in both skill and confidence. Coach Nicole played as a setter at AVC for seven years and has been part of the program since she was 11 years old, she hasn’t spent a single year out of the AVC gym! She has also been coaching at AVC camps for the past five years, working with athletes ages 6–18. Her coaching philosophy centers on building a positive team culture and developing confident, adaptable athletes who love the game and support one another. Outside of volleyball, Coach Nicole is in her third and final year at John Carroll University, majoring in Psychology with minors in Sociology and Criminology. She plans to pursue a master’s degree in social work and become a licensed clinical social worker. Coach Nicole is thrilled to continue her AVC journey and can’t wait for another amazing season with 16 Maroon!

Nikki Ferraro Janosik

Coach

Coach Nikki has been coaching volleyball since 2020, and having the opportunity to come back to coach at AVC after playing here has always been her #1 goal, she will be going on her fourth year with AVC for the 2025-2026 season. She has also played volleyball for 13 years of her life with positions ranging from all-around hitter to setter, many of her later years including college were focused on setting. Coach Nikki was a dual athlete in college playing Division III volleyball and softball, making it to the national championships for softball multiple times. She still keeps up with both volleyball and softball in the local adult leagues and tournaments offered around the Northeast Ohio area. When Coach Nikki is not coaching or playing, she is working in the wealth management industry specializing in client relations and taxes. 

Pablo Santiago

Coach

Bio coming soon!

Paul Kuzmins

Coach

Bio coming soon!

Paul Molnar

Coach

Paul has been a JO National head coach for close to twenty years. He spent the last decade as head coach of CVC National teams. He has coached at various high schools in the area including Midview, Trinity, and Cuyahoga Heights. He also volunteered to coach the 7th and 8th grade CYO teams at St. Michael Independence for several seasons. He recently attained NFHS referee certification.

Rachel Dodson

Coach

Rachel is excited to join AVC for the 2025-2026 season after recently moving to NE Ohio!

Rachel Dodson is a former Canadian Youth National Team setter and NCAA Division I standout. In her senior season at the University of Central Florida, Dodson earned All-Conference USA honors and was named an AVCA Honorable Mention All-American, as well as an AVCA All-Region Honorable Mention selection. She started at setter in every match that year and recorded the best season in UCF history with 1,377 assists. Dodson ranked fifth in the nation in assists per set (11.97) that year and led Conference USA in the category.

Before transferring to UCF, Dodson starred at the University of Tulsa, where she recorded over 1,000 assists as a freshman, earned a spot on the C-USA All-Freshman Team, and received national Player of the Week honors during the season.

Following her playing career, Dodson began coaching at the University of Evansville (DI), where she worked with setters and offensive systems while mentoring student-athletes both on and off the court. During her time in Evansville, she also coached a standout U17 Evansville United AAU team featuring four players who went on to commit to top Division I programs. After Evansville, Dodson served as an assistant coach at East Carolina University (DI), where she focused primarily on setter development.

A native of Oakville, Ontario, Canada, the former Rachel Vukson earned four varsity letters in volleyball at St. Ignatius of Loyola and represented both the Canadian Youth National Team and the Ontario Provincial Team for multiple years. Her teams won five consecutive medals at Provincial and National Championships.

Rich Beran

Coach

Rich came to AVC in 2021, where he helped coach the 17 White Team that won two tournaments and qualified for Nationals!  Rich has been involved with volleyball since 1994 when he began playing.  Since then, he has coached a variety of teams and athletes throughout the world, ranging from 3rd grade to NCAA Division I.  Rich has attended many AVCA Conventions and continues to learn new ways to help young athletes become more confident on and off the court.  Rich currently resides in Avon with his amazing wife (who allows him to Coach and tolerates the chaos it causes) and two daughters.

Riley Anderson

Coach

Riley is excited to join the AVC coaching staff for the 2025-2026 season as a coach for the 14 Scarlet team! She is wrapping up her senior year of college at Cleveland State University with a major in sociology. Riley has enjoyed either playing or coaching volleyball for the last 10 years and this is her first year coaching at AVC! Riley is excited to share her knowledge and love of the game while inspiring young girls to be confident on and off the court. 

Sammie Ruggles

Coach

Samantha Ruggles played five years of NCAA Division I volleyball as a setter at Providence College in the Big East Conference. Throughout her collegiate career, she ranked among the top five in the conference for aces, assists, and blocks and served as team captain, demonstrating leadership both on and off the court. After a career-ending injury, she continued to play a vital role for the Friars by taking on major responsibilities in film breakdown, opponent scouting, and team preparation.

Before Providence, Ruggles starred at Lake Ridge Academy, where she set school records in assists, digs, and aces while leading her team to the longest postseason run in program history, finishing as district runner-up. A four-year captain, she was recognized as the Lorain County Division IV Player of the Year in both 2017 and 2019 and earned District All-Star honors in 2019.

She currently coaches at Elyria Catholic High School as the JV Head Coach and Varsity Assistant, where the team finished 22-2, earned a conference championship, and ranked #1 in the state. Specializing in setting, she focuses on teaching players how to connect their volleyball IQ to physical execution on the court. 

Ruggles is excited to bring her high-level playing experience, coaching knowledge, and passion for the game back to AVC. Her goal is to help athletes not only grow in skill and confidence but also
develop the speed, strength, and mindset necessary to succeed at the collegiate level.

Scott Wood

Coach

Scott joined the AVC coaching staff during the 2024-25 season.  He picked up volleyball in college at John Carroll University, and he continued to play in some adult leagues after college, including playing high-level beach.   Scott was a volleyball coach at Archbishop Hoban from 2008-2011, where coached both boy’s and girl’s teams, with his main focus on the boys’ volleyball team.  He also helped with Volleyfreak Club in Akron, and he co-founded and helped run a defunct adult tournament series called The Volley Project.  

Scott has a passion for volleyball, he even met his wife, Karla Everhart Wood, while playing.  Karla played collegiately at Youngstown State as a setter.  They have 4 children: Skylar (9), Everly (6), Kaysen (3), and Layken (1).  He has dreams that one day his kids will be Olympic Gold Medalists for Team USA in Beach and Indoor! 

Shauna Landrum

Coach

Bio coming soon!

Sofia Melendez

Coach

Bio coming soon!

Sophia Chacon

Coach

Sophia joined AVC in 2023.  Originally from Texas, Sophia played club volleyball for Texas Performance before going on to play Division 1 volleyball.  She started her college career at University of Texas at El Paso before transferring to University of Maryland Eastern Shore.  While in school, she had the privilege of serving as the team captain for all four years of her playing career.  Sophia graduated from UMES, earning all-academic conference honors and graduating with a degree in Biochemistry and 4.0 GPA.  Currently, Sophia is working as the Graduate Assistant for the Women’s volleyball team at Baldwin Wallace University. 

Tess Connolly

Coach

Bio coming soon!

Thea Beran

Coach

Bio coming soon!

Tierra Cargile

Coach

In the 2025 season, Tierra is entering her 2nd year coaching at AVC. She has been playing volleyball since middle school, and she started her volleyball coaching career in 2021. In 2009, Tierra graduated from Maple Heights High School after playing 4 years of high school volleyball. In 2013, she graduated from Bowling Green State University (BGSU) with her bachelor’s degree. In 2021, Tierra started coaching at Milkovich Middle School in Maple Heights.  She spent one season as the 7th grade coach & since then, has been the head coach of the 8th grade team. Tierra brings great experience to AVC and is excited to share her knowledge and passion for the game with others.

TJ Madden

Coach

Bio coming soon!

Todd Machuca

Coach

Todd joined the coaching staff at AVC for the 2024-2025 season. He has coached youth sports for over 20 years including Hockey, Baseball and Volleyball. He has played indoor and outdoor volleyball for the past 25 years and is still competing competitively. In 2024, Todd and his team finished third in the adult 50+ USA Volleyball National Championships. Todd is passionate about teaching the fundamentals of the game and having each player grow into a better volleyball player. He believes that a positive mindset is a key factor to success.  Todd has a daughter that currently competes for AVC.