LA MIRADA, Calif. --- Every year since Aaron Seltzer took over 12 years ago has been a good year, a few of them great years, and 2013 definitely qualifies as one of those great years.
 
Biola's volleyball coach began the season hosting a successful 12-team tournament where his No. 4 Eagles went 4-0. The excitement built as the coach won his 300^th career game in a 3-0 sweep over Vangard, Sept. 24.
 
The success continued when Seltzer guided his squad to a 15-0 start, its best since 2008. After setbacks to No. 1 Texas-Brownsville and No. 2 Concordia a CUI loss to Vanguard left Seltzer and his team with a chance to nab the GSAC championship in the regular-season finale against CUI. Biola again fell to the Eagles from Irvine, but he and the team got their redemption by beating CUI 3-0 in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics national semifinals, qualifying Biola for a berth in the national finals for the first time since 1997.
 
After a year full of great moments, Seltzer was rewarded on Monday when he was named the 2013 NAIA/AVCA coach of the year. He is the first ever Biola volleyball coach to earn the award, and the first Biola coach to win a national coach of the year award since Dr. Dave Holmquist was named co-coach of the year in 1981-82.
 
"Aaron (Seltzer) has done a great job with our program for 12 years. It's really nice to see him honored with such a prestigious award," said Athletic Director Dr. Dave Holmquist. "He has coached his players very well, recruited great fits for Biola University and served as a very effective Christian role model."
 
Seltzer led this year's team to the national championship match and coached four NAIA All-Americans and four national scholar-athletes. Biola finished the season 27-4 and will likely find themselves at No. 2 in the postseason coaches' poll that will be released Dec. 11.
 
In his 12 seasons at the helm of the Eagles volleyball program Seltzer has never won fewer than 19 games. His teams have qualified for six consecutive national tournaments and eight total as he compiled a 316-106 overall record. His 316 wins are the most all-time among Biola volleyball head coaches.
 
Through the years Seltzer's success has not just been limited to what his teams accomplished on the court, but also what he has led them to off the court. This is evidenced by what his players had to say about their coach.
 
Amy Weststeyn – junior middle blocker:
"Coach (Seltzer) deserves every bit of this award, not only for what an amazing coach he is on the court, and the success he's led this team to, but also for the way he interacts with us off the court. He has always reminded us of our priorities: God, school and volleyball, in that order. I feel like coach is respected by everyone who is lucky enough to be around him, and Biola is truly blessed to have such an incredible light shining for Christ in the athletic department."
 
Gracee Gallarda – senior setter:
"Coach (Seltzer) is the most incredible person I have had the privilege to play for. I committed to Biola because of two things: the incredible God-fearing girls and the coach who seemed to be a man after God's own heart. Above all else, coach desires the girls who come into the Biola program to grow in their walk with Jesus, and these past four years have done just that for me.… Everybody knew how badly we wanted to beat Concordia, and coach did too, but before the game he came to tell us what was on his heart, and it wasn't a 'Go out and kill them' or 'You're the better team' speech. The main point of his speech wasn't even bout volleyball, it was about being thankful for what God has blessed you with. I am thankful for not only the coach and friend he is to me, but for the man in Christ he is."
 
Tara Rallis – senior libero:
"There are so many reasons why coach (Seltzer) is amazing!! I have had numerous coaches in my life, and coach Seltzer is the one I am able to look up to the most, both on and off the court. He helps me outside of volleyball by walking alongside me, always most concerned with my spiritual walk and maturity. I can't tell you how blessed I am to have such a strong and humble coach. I look up to him in my walk with God and in many life situations."
 
For more information about Seltzer and his time as Biola volleyball's head coach, click here.