Chippewa Valley Times

The University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire's Alex Berger, an assistant coach for the Blugold volleyball team, has been named a 2025 AVCA Thirty Under 30 College Award recipient. The American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) announced the awards Tuesday.

This annual award recognizes young, rising stars in collegiate volleyball coaching. Berger is one of 30 coaches nationally to receive this honor for 2025.

She joined the UW-Eau Claire coaching staff in 2018 after two seasons as an assistant coach at Augsburg University. Berger also has six years of club coaching experience with Mizuno Northern Lights. In her first season, Berger contributed to the Blugolds achieving a 33-4 record and winning the WIAC tournament championship, culminating in an appearance in the NCAA Division III Final Four. Her ongoing contributions have led to multiple NCAA Tournament appearances for the team, including in 2018, 2019, 2021, 2022, and 2024. Notably, she was part of the coaching staff when the Blugolds secured their first NCAA Division III national championship in 2021.

Before her coaching career, Berger excelled as a player at Northern Michigan University. She served as a two-time team captain, received All-Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference First Team honors, and was named team MVP in both her junior and senior years. Berger still holds NMU records for digs per set in a single season and career, as well as total number of digs per season. She graduated from Northern Michigan University in 2016 with a degree in Sport and Exercise Science.

Berger is set to be formally recognized at the 2025 AVCA Convention in Kansas City, Missouri, this December.

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