RIVERSIDE, Calif. --- The American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) released its 2011 Women's Volleyball Coach of the Year awards Wednesday and California Baptist University's Blair Penner was named the AVCA/NCCAA Assistant Coach of the Year.

Penner earns the honor in just his first season as an assistant coach, after leading the Lancers to a 26-10 season and their first ever NCCAA National Championship. Playing its first season in the PacWest, CBU finished tied for third in the conference and had three players named to the NCCAA All-American team and two earn All-PacWest honors.

Penner joined the CBU coaching staff after a stellar career as a setter for the Lancer Men's Volleyball team. In five seasons with the Lancers, Penner was a part of three NAIA championships and was named 2010 AVCA/NAIA Player of the Year.

He is the first CBU assistant to win the award.