Dec. 7, 2001

UNC volleyball coach Joe Sagula has been named the Tachikara/AVCA Division I Region Coach of the Year for the East region. Sagula is one of eight coaches honored, and each of the honorees will represent their region on the National Coach of the Year ballot. The awards will be officially presented at the Tachikara/AVCA Coach of the Year banquet in San Diego, on Thurs., Dec. 13, 2001, at the American Volleyball Coaches Association National Convention.

Sagula led the Tar Heels (24-9, 12-4 ACC) to their third consecutive ACC title this season. The Tar Heels earned their fourth straight NCAA Championship bid and upset then No. 23 South Carolina in the first round before falling to No. 8 Pepperdine in the second round.

Sagula has a 239-158 record at Carolina and an overall career record of 442-281 in 21 years.