THE FLATS – Georgia Tech volleyball Player Development Assistant and class of 2025 alumna Luanna Emiliano received her first post-graduate honor off the court as she received the AVCA T.E.A.M Award.
The AVCA T.E.A.M. Awards—which promote Togetherness, Empowerment, Accessibility, and Mentoring—are a demonstration of the association’s commitment to the volleyball coaching profession and the sport itself. The AVCA, in collaboration with the newly established AVCA Ad Hoc T.E.A.M. Committee , is driven to foster a strong sense of community for coaches, deliver meaningful value, and empower them as leaders at all levels of the sport—while also supporting their growth and long-term success in their coaching careers.
The AVCA committee is pleased to announce the 44 recipients of this year’s T.E.A.M. Awards. The coach development program, which originated in 2015, will bring these volleyball leaders to the 2025 AVCA Convention in Kansas City, Missouri. At the event, recipients will participate in a series of educational seminars—many of which focus on professional and personal development for coaches—and take part in additional relationship-building experiences during the Convention.
2025 AVCA T.E.A.M. Award Recipients:
Phylis Anyango
Jackson Juniors
Club Director
Madison Beasley
Alabama State University
Assistant Coach
Alexandria Becerra
Western Illinois University
Assistant Coach & Recruiting Coordinator
Karly Berkland
South Dakota State University
Graduate Assistant
Kaitlynn Biassou
Rio Rancho High School (NM)
Assistant Coach
Katie Butler
Western Carolina University
Graduate Assistant
Taylor Davenport
Temple University
Assistant Coach
Maya Duckworth
Iowa State University
Student-Athlete
Erin Fairs
Rice University
Assistant Coach
Erin Golden
Omaha Starlings Volleyball
Assistant Director
Deja Harris
University of Nevada, Las Vegas
Assistant Coach & Recruiting Coordinator
Ainise Havili
Butler University
Assistant Coach
Nicole Heard
SWAG Volleyball
CEO/Founder of SWAG Volleyball
Rachel Henderson
Bethune Cookman University
Assistant Coach & Recruiting Coordinator
Torri Henry
Columbia University
Assistant Volleyball Coach
Cami Hicks
Louisiana Tech University
Assistant Coach
Timira James
Mattie T. Blount High School/Mobile Starlings Volleyball Club
Assistant Coach
Tricia Kama
Lahainaluna High School (HI)
Varsity Head Coach & Program Director
Andrew Kim
Binghamton University
Volunteer Assistant Coach
Kristin King-Winfrey
Skye Sports Academy
VP of Volleyball Operations & Club Director
Felicia Marshall
Fremont High School (UT)
Assistant Coach
Jordan Molina
Long Beach State University
Assistant Coach
Luanna Luiza Moreira Emiliano
Georgia Institute of Technology
Player Development Assistant
Karen Morgan
Texas Legacy/The OCR
Coach
Ashleigh Nicoll
Gardner-Webb University
Graduate Assistant
Christiana Oyawale
Stony Brook University
Assistant Coach
Alexander Phan
Badger Region Volleyball Association
Communications Coordinator
Hadley Pride
Providence College
Student-Athlete
Dante Pulphus
Southern Illinois University Edwardsville
Graduate Assistant
Riley Rabedeaux
Southern Illinois University
Graduate Assistant
Ron Reyes
Eastlake Starlings Volleyball Club
Director
Isaac Rivera
Davis Senior High School (CA)
Varsity Head Coach: Boys & Girls
Jesse Santos
Bourgade Catholic High School (AZ)
Head Coach
Grace Smith
Willamina Volleyball Club
Director
Darryle Smith-Blair
Fostering Dreams Volleyball
Master Coach
Walter Spurlock
University of Virginia
Volunteer Technical Coordinator
Shannon Thompson
Road Runner Volleyball Club
Club Owner
Ignacio Valdemoros
Mississippi State University
Assistant Coach
Diana Villalpando
Portland State University
Assistant Coach & Recruiting Coordinator
Haley Walz
California State University, Northridge
Assistant Coach
Storm White
Tennessee State University
Graduate Assistant
Alexis Williams
Prairie View A&M University
Volunteer Assistant
Isabel Zelaya
Pacific Coast Volleyball Club
Club Director
Penelope Zepeda
Bakersfield College
Interim Indoor/Beach Head Volleyball Coach
The AVCA T.E.A.M. Committee seeks to elevate the sport through the AVCA T.E.A.M. Awards Program by embracing the power of recognition and the transformational effect of professional and personal development programming. This is in step with its overall mission of focusing on open, meaningful dialogue and action aimed at eliminating barriers to advancement in the volleyball coaching profession and to participation in the sport of volleyball.
Luanna Emiliano joined the Georgia Tech volleyball coaching staff as a player development assistant in July of 2025 and enters her first season with the program after graduating from Tech in May of 2025.
During her senior season at Tech, Emiliano appeared in 119 sets across 31 matches. She finished her senior season with nine kills, 1,011 assists (8.49 assists/set), 28 service aces, 294 digs and four block assists. She recorded a season-high 51 assists against Wake Forest (10/27). Against Duke (11/1), recorded a season-high 20 digs and three service aces. The Brazil native capped the 2024 season recording 30+ assists in 19 of 31 games with as well as seven games with 40+ digs. She achieved a 20/20 double-double against Duke (11/1) with 37 assists and 20 digs. Her collegiate career was highlighted by 13 double-doubles in the 2024 season, 80 total across her career.
UP NEXT
The Yellow Jackets are set to continue their five-match road swing against Boston College on Friday at 7 p.m. before taking on Syracuse on Sunday at 1 p.m.
Full Steam Ahead
Full Steam Ahead is a $500 million fundraising initiative to achieve Georgia Tech athletics’ goal of competing for championships at the highest level in the next era of intercollegiate athletics. The initiative will fund transformative projects for Tech athletics, including renovations of Bobby Dodd Stadium at Hyundai Field (the historic home of Georgia Tech football), the Zelnak Basketball Center (the practice and training facility for Tech basketball) and O’Keefe Gymnasium (the venerable home of Yellow Jackets volleyball), as well as additional projects and initiatives to further advance Georgia Tech athletics through program wide-operational support. All members of the Georgia Tech community are invited to visit atfund.org/FullSteamAhead for full details and renderings of the renovation projects, as well as to learn about opportunities to contribute online.
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