Dallas Eastfield's Phil Nickel named DIII Coach of the Year for the third time

Charlotte, NC: After leading Dallas Eastfield to its third consecutive national championship, Phil Nickel has been named the 2025 NJCAA Division III Volleyball Coach of the Year. Nickel has been named the national coach of the year each of the last three seasons.

Since taking over the program, Nickel has won three national championships in three years, three national coach-of-the-year honors, and a record of 108-21. Harvester Bee teams have lost only 23 total sets in the last three seasons. This season's team only lost nine sets, and only two against NJCAA Division III teams. The team's only loss came at the hands of NJCAA Division I Cisco (TX) on August 23rd.

"Coach Nickel has had a great impact on Dallas College Eastfield Volleyball.  He is a true professional collegiate coach who does a tremendous job with his craft. He is a great leader and volleyball coach. He is on an unprecedented run, going 53-0 versus NJCAA D3 programs over the past three seasons and also going 39-2 over NJCAA scholarship programs in that span as well," Dallas College Eastfield athletic director Anthony Fletcher said.

Nickel's team this season featured one of the best offenses in the nation, while also having one of the most formidable defenses to break. The Harvester Bees led the nation with 12.85 kills per set, were second in the country in assists per set with 11.86, and had a .230 hitting percentage as a team. They also averaged 16.51 digs per set and 1.81 blocks per set.

"I had a great experience with Coach Nickel. I learned a lot, and the coaching style that Coach Nickel brought is really what I feel I thrive in. I genuinely enjoyed the season," Dallas Eastfield freshman Madison Mosley said.

The Harvester Bees won the South District Tournament and were named the No. 1 overall seed in the 2025 NJCAA Division III Volleyball Championship. They would defeat Holyoke (MA), Northampton (PA), and Rochester (MN) en route to the national championship game against conference rival Dallas College Brookhaven (TX). They would defeat the Bears in straight sets to claim the national championship. Nickel was named the Heidi Hutchinson Coach of the Tournament. Three members of the Dallas Eastfield team were named to the All-Tournament Team, including Mia Santos, who was named the Most Valuable Player.

"Coach Nickel led the team through a truly outstanding season, showing both skill and dedication. His commitment and guidance not only achieved results but also created lifetime memories and milestones. Coach Nickel gave me an opportunity when I needed one most. I will be forever grateful," said sophomore Mia Santos.