ARLINGTON – UTA volleyball assistant coach Eric Arriaga has been named one of the 2020 American Volleyball Coaches' Association's (AVCA) Thirty Under 30 recipients. The award was created in 2009 to honor up-and-coming coaching talent at all levels. Recipients must be younger than 30-years old in 2019.

"This award means a lot to me because it confirms my decision to pursue my passion for this sport," Arriaga said. "I'm honored and humbled to be recognized along with so many other talented young coaches."

 "I want to thank the AVCA and the members of the committee for recognizing me with this award," said Arriaga. "I am immensely appreciative of this honor. I also want to thank the countless colleagues, mentors, and friends I've made while coaching for inspiring me and helping me to grow professionally and personally. Nobody gets here alone, and I am fully aware of all of the people who have helped shape me into the coach I am. Lastly, I want to thank my family for supporting me in this journey - especially my dad. From the time I could hold a volleyball, my dad nurtured a deep love and respect for the sport that has motivated me to reach the highest levels possible."

"Eric has a very gifted volleyball mind and is a great recruiter," said head coach J.T. Wenger. "He has had fantastic impacts at every program he has been involved with, and we are very fortunate to have him at UTA."

Arriaga, who joined the Mavs in February 2020, spent the previous three seasons in a similar role at Loyola University Maryland. Prior to his stop at Loyola Maryland, he spent the 2016 season as an assistant coach at George Mason. In his time at George Mason, Arriaga helped the Patriots to their longest Atlantic-10 Conference winning streak since the program joined the league, and the program set a school record for single-match digs with 126.

A 2015 graduate of Stanford University, where he was a member of the men's volleyball team, Arriaga was a technical coordinator at the University of Colorado during the 2015 season. He helped the Buffaloes to a 19-13 overall record and their first-ever win over his alma mater. Arriaga assisted the Colorado coaching staff with opponent scouting, statistical analysis and video coordination.

A native of the Denver area, Arriaga joined the Stanford men's volleyball team as a walk-on outside hitter and defensive specialist in 2012. That season, Stanford reached the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation title match and finished with a 22-7 overall record.

After an injury curtailed his playing career, he continued with the program as a student assistant coach from 2013-2015. In 2014, the team finished as the NCAA Division I Runners-Up.

ABOUT THE AVCA
Our mission statement is to advance the sport of volleyball with AVCA coaches at the epicenter of leadership, advocacy and professional development.

The AVCA, with its headquarters in Lexington, Ky., is managed by Associations International. The mission of the AVCA is to advance the sport of volleyball with AVCA coaches at the epicenter of leadership, advocacy and professional development. With a membership of almost 7,000 and counting, the AVCA provides a professional network for those individuals and companies dedicated to enhancing and promoting the sport. Members include collegiate, high school, club, youth and Olympic coaches, as well as volleyball club directors. The AVCA provides education to volleyball coaches, recognition of elite players and coaches, promotion of volleyball competitions throughout the world, and networking opportunities for volleyball products and services providers.

2020 AVCA Thirty Under 30 Winners

Name	Institution
Ari Aganus	Marshall University
Riley Anderson	Marian University
Eric Arriaga	UT Arlington
Leigh Barea	University of Wisconsin-Parkside
Haleigh Carvalho	Ottawa University Arizona
Carly Cramer	University of Kentucky
Hallie Cruzen	Muskingum University
Betsy Freeburg	Samford University
Lainey Gera	Actyve Volleyball Club
Arielle Houlihan	Bay to Bay Volleyball Club
Shauna Hurles	Tiffin University
Matt Jones	UC Santa Barbara
Lyndsay Kooi	University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point
Kasey Laird-Dennies	Cabrini High School
Paul Leon	UC Santa Cruz
Ray Lewis	Benedictine University Mesa
Daniel Mader	Volleyball Club Nebraska (VCN)
Ryan Mason	Campbell University
Aisleen Pack	Western High School
Jason Parker	Coastal Virginia Volleyball Club / Bryant & Stratton College
Brenden Pence	St. Francis DeSales HS and Advancement Academy / A2
Terrence Robertson	University of Maryland, Baltimore County
Patrick Robidoux	Centre College
Thomas Ryan	Saint Xavier University
Korey Schroeder	University of Wisconsin-Green Bay
McKay Smith	Long Beach State University
Jenilee Voss	Wisconsin Lutheran College
Bryan Weber	St. John's University
Bryce Williams	UC Davis
Stephanie Zielinski	Florida Gulf Coast University