BYU's McGown named national coach of the year

BYU head coach Chris McGown was named the American Volleyball Coaches Association Men's Division I-II National Coach of the Year, the organization announced Thursday.

McGown was also named the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation coach of the year after leading the Cougars (25-4) to the MPSF regular season and tournament titles, and their first NCAA Tournament appearance since 2004. BYU, which is considered the favorite to win its fourth national title in program history, takes on Eastern Intercollegiate Volleyball Association champion Penn State on Thursday at 9 p.m. MT at UCLA's Pauley Pavilion.

The second-year head coach won his first national coach of the year award, and the first since McGown's father, Carl McGown, won the award in 2001. Carl McGown also took MPSF coach of the year honors in 1999 and 2001, and former coach Tom Peterson took league co-coach of the year honors in 2003.

BYU opposite Ben Patch was named AVCA Newcomer of the Year, and Patch, outside hitter Taylor Sander and middle blocker Russ Lavaja each earned All-America honors.

McGown has compiled a 49-11 record at the helm of BYU's revived men's volleyball program.

Chris McGown graduated from BYU in 1994 after a three-year letter-winning campaign. After graduation, he worked briefly as a manufacturing engineer with close ties at companies such as IBM, Boeing, General Electric, General Motors and the Department of Defense. He stayed close to the men's and women's volleyball programs, however, while doing play-by-play commentary for various TV broadcasts, including the former BYU Sports Network. McGown worked as a volunteer assistant coach with BYU's women's volleyball team from 2009-11 before taking over the reigns of the men's team in June 2011.