Southern Illinoise University Athletics
Sonya Locke Named BCA National Female Coach of the Year
04/16/2003 | 12:00:00 | Women's Volleyball
April 16, 2003
Carbondale, Ill. - Southern Illinois University's head volleyball coach Sonya Locke has been named the Black Coaches Association's 2003 National Female Coach of the Year as announced by the BCA earlier today. It's the first time in the history of the BCA that a non-basketball coach has received the Female Coach of the Year award.
Locke will be presented with the award at the BCA national convention this summer held June 5-8 in Indianapolis, Indiana. The South Bend native will be honored at the BCA awards banquet along with Notre Dame's football coach Tyrone Willingham (BCA Male Coach of the Year) Saturday evening, June 7. Criteria for the award includes team success during the season, team improvement from the previous season, fulfillment of team potential, and the coach must display a professional manner and attitude.
"I don't even know what to say," said Locke humbly. "The biggest thing is I've always been a part of a team. Our staff is a team, the athletic department is a team, the university is a team. It's so hard for me as an individual to see 'coach' as a singular when I know I'm a part of a team. I know an individual cannot accomplish great things without a team supporting them. I'm so humbled and honored to represent everyone involved at SIU and in SIU athletics. This award reflects outward to everyone who has supported me and given me the opportunity to be part of a team."
"There were hundreds of female coaches who had good seasons, good teams, staffs, administrators, and programs," said Locke. "I've been blessed with a lot of positive things this year, and then you think the season is over, here comes more."
Coach Locke was awarded the 2002 Missouri Valley Conference Coach of the Year for guiding her team, picked eighth in the preseason poll, to a third place regular season finish with a 12-6 record in league play. It was the first time an SIU volleyball coach received such honors. Along the way, Locke, in her twelfth season at SIU, earned her first 20-win season, and picked up her 200th career win Oct. 19 at Indiana State.
The Salukis closed out the season with its best finish in 17 years with a 23-10 overall and advanced to the MVC Volleyball Championships for the first time since 1998. Southern Illinois, the number three seed, defeated Illinois State, the number six seed, 3-1 in the quarterfinals. It was the first time in Locke's tenure at SIU that the Salukis had completed such a feat. The Redbirds held a 24-match winning streak over the Salukis coming into the tournament. SIU moved to the championship match against the (#9)University of Northern Iowa after defeating Southwest Missouri State in a five-game set. The last time the Salukis played in a conference championship match was in 1985 against Illinois State at the Gateway Conference Tournament.
Two Salukis were named to the MVC all-tournament team and first team all-conference. Eight school records were recorded this season, and one player was selected as one of six individuals nationwide to the Verizon Academic All-America First Team. SIU landed two on the Verizon Academic All-District V First Team and one on the Second Team. The Salukis had six players earn MVC Scholar-Athlete recognition, more than any other conference school.
