Lakeland College's Austin Dyer Named CCAA Coaching Excellence Award Recipient
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The Canadian Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) is proud to announce that Austin Dyer, head coach of the Lakeland Rustlers Women’s Volleyball team, has been named the 2025 CCAA Coaching Excellence Award recipient. This prestigious award recognizes a CCAA coach who has demonstrated coaching excellence for five or more years. Dyer's impact on collegiate volleyball in Canada has been remarkable.
“Coach Dyer is a demonstration that consistency leads to success,” said CCAA Awards Committee member Bob Murray. “He has shown that it’s not always about the wins and losses, but the character you build in your athletes that matters. His program has had on-court success at the conference and national level but has also been instrumental in building leaders that impact their campus and community.” Beyond his team’s impressive on-court achievements, Dyer is deeply committed to player development, mentorship, and academic success. His teams consistently maintain a collective GPA above 3.2, reflecting his emphasis on both academic and athletic excellence. He has also mentored four female apprentice coaches, including former Rustlers standout Sarah Hogue, who has flourished under his guidance. “Austin has worked extremely hard over his years at Lakeland to build a program that constantly strives for and finds success on the court and in the classroom,” said Alan Rogan, Athletic Director at Lakeland College. “Above that, though, is that the student-athletes and coaches under his leadership learn that you become a stronger, more well-rounded person by giving back to the community. Everyone at Lakeland is very proud of Coach Dyer and his achievements.” Dyer's contributions to volleyball extend well beyond Lakeland College. Since arriving in Lloydminster nearly 17 years ago, he has played a pivotal role in developing the local volleyball scene, founding a club program that has grown to over 250 athletes. His influence has helped elevate secondary school volleyball in the region, with more local athletes competing at the post-secondary level across Canada. Dyer’s impact will undoubtedly be felt for years to come as he continues to shape the next generation of volleyball athletes and coaches across the country. The CCAA works in partnership with the Coaching Association of Canada (CAC) and recipients of the CCAA Coaching Excellence Award receive a one-year complimentary coach license through the CAC Professional Coaching program. |
Dyer has been at the helm of the Lakeland Rustlers Women’s Volleyball program for over 15 seasons, leading the team to continued success in the Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference (ACAC) and on the national stage. Under his leadership, the Rustlers have dominated in recent years, achieving an undefeated 19-0 regular season record in 2024-25, dropping only one set throughout the campaign. The team claimed its third consecutive national championship title at the CCAA Nationals, dropping only one set in the finals.
