LEXINGTON, Ky. — The American Volleyball Coaches Association has named Santa Clara University Volleyball assistant coach/recruiting coordinator Gretchen Reinert to its 2026 Thirty Under 30 College Award list, as announced by the organization on Wednesday.

The AVCA Thirty Under 30 program recognizes up-and-coming coaches in different sectors of the sport who serve in a range of roles, from head coach to volunteer assistant to club director. The College Award honorees are passionate about teaching, helping players reach their full potential, and growing the game at the collegiate level.

A former player for the Broncos, Reinert returned to her alma mater to join head coach Erin Lindsey's staff ahead of the 2025 season. In her first season with the program, the Broncos put together one of their most successful seasons in recent history with a 17-12 overall record - the most wins since 2019 - and a 12-6 mark in West Coast Conference play for the team's best conference record since 2015. The Broncos won a program-record seven WCC Player of the Week honors and enjoyed a seven-match winning streak through conference play, which stands as the program's longest in conference games since 2007.

Reinert began her coaching journey as a volunteer assistant with the Stanford Cardinal in 2022 before joining UNLV's staff as assistant coach in 2023. In 2024, she was promoted to the Rebel's recruiting coordinator and helped the program land the nation's No. 42 recruiting class for the class of 2025. She credits Lindsey for being one of the major influences in her decision to pursue a coaching career path.

"It was during my time at the Santa Clara (as a player) that I realized I wanted to coach," Reinert said. "When Erin Lindsey took over, she completely changed the trajectory of my playing career. She focused on my growth as a person, not just as an athlete. That experience showed me that coaching is about developing individuals, and I knew I wanted to have that same impact on others."

A native of Dove Canyon, Calif., Reinert has aspirations of reaching the head coach ranks in the future. "My goal is to become a head coach one day and have the same influence and impact on my players that my coaches have had on me," Reinert said. "I want to build a program that develops strong athletes and even stronger individuals, creating an environment where growth, leadership, and confidence are prioritized."

When asked about what she enjoys the most about being a coach, Reinert said, "What I enjoy most about coaching is seeing our athletes truly excited to show up every single day to train. There is nothing better than creating an environment where they feel motivated, supported, and proud to be part of something bigger than themselves. I love providing the best experience possible for our athletes, recruits, alumni, and fans. I am deeply passionate about what I do, and I want that energy and commitment to be felt by everyone connected to our program."