Karren and Valpreda Named 2016-17 ACAC Women's Basketball Coaches of the Year
LETHBRIDGE, AB (March 1, 2017) – The Alberta Colleges Athletic Conference (ACAC) is proud to announce that Brad Karren of the Lethbridge Kodiaks (South Division) and Robbie Valpreda of the Concordia University of Edmonton Thunder (North Division) have been named the ACAC Women's Basketball Coaches of the Year.
South Division Coach of the Year recipient, Brad Karren, is currently in his 14th year at the helm of the Kodiaks women's program. He returned to the head coaching position in 2014-2015, and since then has gone three consecutive seasons as the ACAC South number one seed going to the ACAC championships. In 2014-2015, Karren was named the ACAC South Coach of the year, nominated for Canadian Collegiate Athletic Association(CCAA) Coach of the Year, and capped it off with a CCAA silver medal. In his three seasons since, he has lead his program to an impressive 67-3 record in ACAC competition for a .956 winning percentage.
"What an impressive run Coach Karren has put together with the Kodiaks since he returned to the head position of the women's program" says Todd Caughlin, Manager of Kodiaks Athletics. "Brad and I started back with the Kodiaks in 2014-15 and I'm proud to see how the program has matured athletically and academically in a short period of time. Brad has done a great job."
Now in his fourth season as the head coach of the Concordia Thunder women's basketball program, Robbie Valpreda comes by the position with a wealth of basketball experience as both an elite player and coach. A former CCAA All-Canadian and National First Team All- Star, Valpreda has spent 16 years as a coach, program developer and director of basketball camps.
From 2005 to 2008, Valpreda was an assistant coach with the men's program at MacEwan University, and was also an assistant with the Edmonton Energy professional basketball team for three seasons. Valpreda has taken the Thunder from a 7–17 record in 2014-15, to 18-6 and a second place finish in the North Division in 2016-17.
"Robbie has been instrumental in the turnaround and success of the women's basketball program since he joined our University four years ago." Says Concordia Athletic Director Joel Mrak. "He has a strong determination to push the team to be the best group of young athletes that they are capable of, while emphasizing life lessons and the importance of an education. I am very proud of the work he has done with the program during his tenure at Concordia."
Karren and Valpreda received the awards on March 1st, 2017 at the ACAC Women's Basketball Conference Championship Banquet held in Lethbridge, Alta.
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About the ACAC: The ACAC is the governing body for intercollegiate athletics in Alberta. Its mission is to foster the development of the student athlete through the administration and promotion of intercollegiate athletics as part of the educational experience and provide a leadership role in the development of sport in Alberta.
For more information on the ACAC, please visit our website: www.acac.ab.ca
For additional information, contact:
Todd Caughlin, Lethbridge College
Manager of Athletics
403-382-6912
todd.caughlin@lethbridgecollege.ca
Joel Mrak, Concordia Thunder
Athletic Director
780-479-9321
joel.mrak@concordia.ab.ca
Mark Kosak, ACAC
Chief Executive Officer
403-875-7329
markk@acac.ab.ca
Twitter: @acac_sport / #ACACWBB2017
Facebook: AlbertaCollegesAthleticConference