Duncan Selected an AVCA 30 Under 30 Award Winner
LEXINGTON, Ky. – The American Volleyball Coaches Association selected Russell Sage College Assistant Men's Volleyball Coach Alex Duncan as one of its 30 Under 30 High School Coaches Award Winners.
LEXINGTON, Ky. – The American Volleyball Coaches Association selected Russell Sage College Assistant Men's Volleyball Coach Alex Duncan as one of its 30 Under 30 High School Coaches Award Winners.
The Thirty Under 30 program recognizes up-and-coming coaches in different sectors of the sport who serve in a range of roles, from head coach to volunteer assistant to club director. Each of this year's recipients had to be age 30 or under as of Dec. 31, 2024, to qualify for the award.
In 2023, Duncan, who just completed his fourth season as an assistant at RSC, took over a struggling local boys' volleyball program at Guilderland High School and, within a year, transformed it into a competitive .500 team. He also added annual food drive and "Dig Pink" contests to the schedule in support of national and local charities and worked at growing the game at the youth levels.
RSC Head Coach Reid Hartl elaborated upon Alex's impact on the Guilderland volleyball community:
"His dedication to enhancing the experience for the athletes at Guilderland and expanding the sport within the community is unmatched," said Hartl. "As head coach, he established volleyball open gyms at the Guilderland YMCA, consistently attending and playing to foster growth across all age groups. Under his leadership, Guilderland High School has become a central hub for USAV tournaments, hosting players of all levels throughout the year, including the upcoming Boys' Regionals this April. Beyond expanding the local volleyball community, Alex has devoted countless hours to improving the experience for his athletes. Through continuous fundraising efforts, he has upgraded equipment and jerseys while also investing in coach development. His commitment extends to his entire staff—Modified, JV, and Varsity—ensuring they attend NYVCA and Gold Medal Squared clinics to maintain a unified and well-educated coaching team."
RSC has qualified for postseason play in three of the four seasons that Duncan has been on the coaching staff.
Gator Bites with Papa John's: The spring marked the fourth with Hartl at the helm of the Gators…Sophomore opposite Dylan Fox (Albany, NY/Colonie Central), earned second-team All-New England Volleyball Conference honors...The 2024 NEVC Rookie of the Year, was twice chosen the NEVC Player of the Week to help the Gators reach the Quarterfinals of the NEVC Championship Tournament..He totaled 325 kills, seventh-most in a season by an RSC player, and finished the campaign ranked seventh among Gators with 599 career kills...Setter Anthony Guetti (Clifton Park, NY/Shen) was selected the NEVC Rookie of the Week for the period ending Sunday, March 30...He recorded 107 assists, 16 digs, eight aces, four kills, and a block to help RSC go 2-1 and secure an NEVC Championship Tournament berth...Guetti registered 813 assists, the third-most in a season by an RSC player...The rookie currently is ranked fifth in program career records for assists.
