Former Hog, Breana Jones Awarded 2020 AVCA Diversity Award

Lexington, Ky. – The University of Arkansas is excited to announce that former Razorback and four-year letter winner, Breana Jones was announced as a 2020 AVCA Diversity Award winner. Sponsored by SEC Volleyball head coaches, Jones is one of 40 honorees to earn the award.

“Breana has a limitless capacity to befriend, inspire and love those who have the privilege to be in her presence,”  said head volleyball coach Jason Watson. “Her influence is profound, not only as a student-athlete, but in her profession as a teacher and coach.”

Jones played for the Hogs from 2013 to 2016, playing under Coach Watson for her senior season at Arkansas. A back-to-back member of the SEC Community Service Team, Jones made an impact on her University on and off the court. She finished her junior campaign as an AVCA All-South Region Honorable Mention and first in the SEC and fifth in the NCAA with single-season program record .436 hitting percentage.

Jones graduated from Arkansas with her elementary education degree in 2016 and is now a third-grade teacher for the Rodgers Public School district.

“The issues of race relations in America, the incidences of social injustice and the grips of a global health crisis have placed a needed emphasis on being intentional and mobilizing efforts that lead to substantive change for society and the volleyball community,” said the AVCA’s official release.

“You want people to want to be like Breana,” said Watson. “Which is why this recognition is so important to me, our program and to Breana. We should seek to enhance her reach and look to further inspire further students, athletes and coaches. Being a Razorback for life, is to mirror all that Breana does in her community.”

For the 2020 AVCA Diversity Award program, recipients will participate in a series of educational, developmental, and relationship building experiences in conjunction with the 2020 AVCA Virtual Convention, December 16-19 (With all 2020 AVCA Diversity Award winners being invited to in-person programming at the 2021 AVCA Convention in Columbus, Ohio). Recipients will also be integrated into the AVCA Diversity Award winner alumni program that consists of continuing education, relationship building, and mentoring upon completion of the initial programming.

Additionally, as part of the AVCA Diversity Development Team’s ongoing efforts to mitigate coach development, the team has partnered with 10 of the AVCA’s USA Volleyball Region Affiliate Partners to provide a scholarship to attend the AVCA Virtual Convention that will allow these coaches to share in programming and experience the coaching education opportunities available virtually for 2020.

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