Doneva Bays and Daniel Manget collect AAC annual awards

ASHEVILLE, N.C. (June 3, 2021) – Head volleyball coach Doneva Bays and sports information director Daniel Manget were honored with annual awards by Appalachian Athletic Conference on Tuesday.

Bays was named the AAC Coach of Character and Manget was awarded the Willie Belcher Sports Information Director of the Year.

Bays completed her 13th season as the head women's volleyball coach at Milligan in 2020-21. The Buffs posted a 16-13 record and made their third-straight appearance in the NAIA National Tournament with a runner-up showing in the AAC Conference Tournament.

The Buffs hit their stride in October with a nine-game winning streak before a difficult 1-7 stretch that included COVID challenges and a long layoff from November to March. The team bounced back to defeat Union in four sets and Point in five in the AAC Tournament to reach the conference championship game.

Off the court, the Buffs finished the year with a 3.38 team grade point average and served the community throughout the year. The volleyball team raised awareness and funds to fight breast cancer with their yearly Dig Pink event. The Buffs filled twenty shoeboxes for Operation Christmas Child and over Thanksgiving, members of the team participated in the Gray Community Chest efforts to feed underprivileged families.

Manget earned SID of the Year honors for the second time after winning the award in 2015-16. He oversaw all aspects of the coverage and exposure of all of Milligan's varsity and club sports.

He served on the NAIA Player of the Year voting committee and assisted in a number of AAC conference championship events including volleyball, men's and women's basketball, men's soccer, softball, and baseball.