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OUAZ Athletics

Haleigh Carlavho

Haleigh Carvalho

COACHING ACCOLADES

  • AVCA-NAIA National Champions (2019, 2021)
  • GSAC Coach of the Year (2020)
  • AVCA Thirty Under 30 Award (2020)
  • GSAC Coach of the Year (2023)
     

In five seasons as head coach of the OUAZ beach volleyball program, Haleigh Carvalho has led the Spirit to a 81-32 (.717) overall record and two AVCA-NAIA National Championships. The only head coach in the program’s history, Carvalho was named the GSAC Coach of the Year in 2020 and 2023 and received the AVCA Thirty Under 30 Award in 2020.
 
With the program’s success, OUAZ has seen 26 players receive GSAC All-Conference honors and have three pairs receive the AVCA Top Flight award.

OUAZ (2018 – Present)

With their best conference season to date, the Carvalho led the group to a 16-11 overall record with a 10-2 conference mark. Picking up the Spirit's third consecutive GSAC Championship match appearance and NAIA Tourament berth, Carvalho was named the 2023 GSAC Coach of the Year, the second of her career.

The 2022 season saw a 17-13 run by the Spirit with a with a record nine conference wins. For the second year in a row, the Spirit made it to the GSAC Tournament Championship match alongside their second bid to the NAIA Championship. The Spirit played their way to the Quarterfinals where they fell in a close 2-3 final to conclude the season.

After having the 2020 season cut short, Carvalho regrouped the OUAZ squad and led them to a second straight AVCA-NAIA National Championship. The Spirit finished the season with a 13-3 overall record and they finished second in the GSAC with a 6-2 mark. OUAZ avenged its only three losses of the season by defeating conference rival Vanguard in the finals to win a second straight National Championship.
 
Looking to defend its 2019 championship, OUAZ ran off a 12-1 record before the remainder of the season was canceled due to COVID protocols. The only loss of the season was at NCAA DI foe San Jose State while they defeated four NCAA DI opponents during the run. OUAZ ended its season having won 10 straight duals.
 
The inaugural OUAZ beach volleyball season was an overwhelming success that saw the Spirit go 23-4 and win the AVCA-NAIA National Championship. The team began the season with 16 consecutive wins and all four losses during the season came against NCAA DI opponents. At the National Championship, OUAZ won 19 of the 21 duals they completed to win its first national title.
 

Before OUAZ

Carvalho spent two seasons as a graduate assistant for the women’s volleyball program at Lee University (Tenn.). That came following one season of coaching at Irvine Valley College (Calif.).
 

Playing Career (Long Beach State & Clemson)

Carvalho played three seasons for Long Beach State University where she was an NCAA Honorable Mention All-American, two-time All-Big West selection, and a member of the Big West All-Freshman Team. She holds the LBSU program record for blocks in an NCAA Tournament match with 11.
 
Carvalho finished her collegiate career at Clemson University where her 229 kills as a senior gave her 1,002 career kills.
 

Personal

Carvalho is joined at OUAZ with her husband Bryan, the OUAZ beach volleyball assistant coach. The couple resides in Surprise with their daughter, Kaia, and son Owen.