By Mike Lehman, TTU Sports Information
LEXINGTON, Ky. – Tennessee Tech volleyball outside hitter Madolyn Isringhausen has been selected as a 2023 recipient of the American Volleyball Coaches Association Demonstrator Scholarship, as announced by the AVCA last week.
The junior from Edwardsville, Ill. represents one of 30 student-athletes that will make the trip to Tampa, Fla. to serve as demonstrators for on-court educational sessions during the 2023 AVCA Convention. Isringhausen will serve as the lone representative from an Ohio Valley Conference program.
"We are so proud that Maddie decided to open herself up to the opportunity of experiencing all that the AVCA Convention has to offer," Tech head coach Jeannette Phillips said. "It is a very prestigious distinction and we know that she will honor the decision to allow her to participate. It's fun when you get to see a player begin to have interest in the game on a deeper level and start to dip their toe into the coaching side. We're sure this convention will open her eyes to some new things, just as it has done for us over the years."
The successful scholarship program has included more than 75 players in its three years. In addition to responsibilities during on-court sessions, the group will be able to attend other educational seminars—many of which focus on professional and personal development for coaches—and learn more about the profession by networking with the hundreds of coaches attending the Convention. One of the factors in the selection of the demonstrators was their interest in pursuing a coaching career.
The 2023 demonstrators are a diverse group that includes 24 indoor players and six beach players. They play for 29 different schools in 19 states and represent a good mix of positions and classes. The demonstrators also come from many levels of collegiate competition, as there are 12 Division I players, eight Division II players, six Division III players, and four from NAIA. University of Iowa setter Bailey Ortega will also be on site to coordinate the groups' activities.
This year's AVCA Convention, to be held in Dec. 13-17, will feature over 140 educational sessions with thousands of volleyball coaches expected to be in attendance.
"On behalf of the AVCA, I am incredibly excited for Maddie to be awarded a Demonstrator Scholarship for the 2023 AVCA Convention," Tech associate head coach and AVCA Board of Directors Assistant Coaches Representative Zach Weinberg expressed. "This opportunity will springboard her coaching career, should she decide to go that route when her playing days are over. Her well-rounded skill set will make her an excellent on-court demonstrator and I'm thrilled she gets to take in the many positive aspects of the AVCA Convention, such as educational opportunities, the NCAA Final Four matches, and countless networking opportunities. The Convention is one of my favorite times of the year and I'm thrilled that Maddie gets to be a part of it in December."
A two-time All-OVC honoree, Isringhausen recently recorded her 1,000th career kill while representing the purple and gold. She ranks among league leaders in kills, points, and service aces again this season.
Photo by Jim Dillon
