GIRLS HIGH SCHOOL COACH OF THE YEAR: JULIANA CONN

High School: Cathedral Catholic

Sports: Girls volleyball, beach volleyball

Highlights: It was a magical indoor season for the Dons, who posted a 42-0 record — the last five victories coming with star outside hitter Julia Blyashov, the state and national player of the year who signed with Stanford, sidelined with an ankle injury. Cathedral Catholic won the first 99 sets of the season before losing its first — and only — set to Manhattan Beach Mira Costa in a 25-20, 25-15, 14-25, 25-17 win in the regional finals in the Dons’ gym. In the state finals, Cathedral Catholic swept Mountain View St. Francis 25-21, 25-16, 25-23. The Dons also won the Durango Tournament in Las Vegas, Geico Invitational in Nebraska, Mohs Tournament in Newport Beach and the King Kamehameha Tournament in Honolulu. In Hawaii, the Dons managed to keep their set winning streak alive by fighting off Moanalua to win the first set of the finals 33-31 before clinching the crown. Conn’s beach volleyball team also won the San Diego Section Division I title in the spring.

Notable: Ten seniors on the Dons’ 20-player indoor volleyball roster are going to play in college — nine in volleyball and one in track. There were 13 players on the roster who were 6-foot or taller.

Quotable: “I know my next team and the ones after that will not be as good as this one because this team was so special,” Conn said. “Last summer I saw a team that was unhappy about the way the 2021 season ended (losing in the State Open Division playoffs) because Marymount was just better prepared. Along the way my team learned how to win and enjoy that ride. We wanted to win the final match in the state tournament. The kids who are back will suffer a little this fall because people will compare them to the 2022 team, which is really, really unfair. Last year’s team was a once-in-a-lifetime team.”

Rankings: The Dons won everything possible in 2022, taking yet another league title, winning the San Diego Section Open Division as well as capturing the State Open Division title. Cathedral was also crowned the national champion by Maxpreps.com.

Noteworthy: Conn is a 2003 graduate of the University of Missouri. Conn’s team captured the State Division II title in 2016, her second season as a high school coach.

Record: Since taking over the Cathedral program in 2015, Conn’s Dons are 223-43 in eight seasons. Cathedral has never lost a Western League match under Conn, going 68-0.

CATHEDRAL CATHOLIC ATH. Coach Juliana Conn led Cathedral Catholic to an undefeated season in girls volleyball.