PRICEVILLE — Priceville’s success in 2022 may have come as a surprise to some, but Emily Logan wasn’t one of them.

The first-year head coach of the Bulldogs volleyball program believed her team was capable of great things.

They proved her right.

In its first season under Logan, Priceville finished with a 28-13 record. Along the way, the Bulldogs won their first area title since 2015 and reached the state tournament for just the second time in school history.

Because of this, Logan has been named the 2022 Decatur Daily Volleyball Coach of the Year.

“The season was a whirlwind. Now that I’ve had a few months to think about it, what this team accomplished was really special,” Logan said. “You have to give credit to the team for buying in. I was announced as their head coach late, but I promised that if they worked hard, great things would happen, and they did.”

Having been a part of the program already, coaching Priceville’s junior high team, Logan said she was familiar with the girls on the varsity. Because of that, she set her expectations for the season high.

The turning point of the season came during the Morgan County Tournament, in a semifinals match vs. Danville.

“We had a set with them that went into the 30s. When I saw their fight during that, I knew we could make a run,” Logan said.

Now that 2022 is over, Logan has her eyes set on bigger accomplishments in the future.

“When we toured the facilities at the state tournament, you could see the awe in a lot of their faces,” Logan said. “I told my young girls to remember that feeling, because I want this to become a normal thing for Priceville volleyball.”

“I’m going to relish in the memories of this season,” Logan said. “But I am very excited for the future.”