HUNTINGTON BEACH - The National Alliance of Two-Year College Athletic Administrators (NATYCAA) has announced that Past President and former Golden West College Athletics Director Albert Gasparian is the 2021 recipient of the Association's L. William Miller Award.
The L. William Miller Award is presented annually to a member of NATYCAA who demonstrates excellence in leadership, service and integrity in an athletics program at a two-year college or organization. The award is named after Miller, one of NATYCAA's Founding Fathers who enjoyed an illustrious career at St. Louis Community College at Florissant Valley, where he coached track and cross country from 1966-73 and was the director of athletics from 1966 through his retirement in 1994.
A graduate from Golden West in 1975, Gasparian took over the women's volleyball program in 1983, replacing California Community College Athletic Association Hall of Famer Lou Ann Terheggen.
Gasparian blazed his own Hall of Fame career with unparalleled success as the Rustlers' head coach. He compiled a career record of 509-46 – an unmatched winning percentage of .917 – buoyed by a 103-match winning streak over five seasons (1997-2001) that included consecutive 27-0 records in 1998, 1999 and 2001. He later led Golden West to a 22-0 record in 2003.
Gasparian also coached the Rustlers' men's team from 1984-91, finishing as state runners-up four times.
Gasparian's women's teams won 16 state championships, including 12 in a row, and averaged 23 wins per season, including 18 seasons – and 14 straight – with at least 20 victories.
Gasparian's impact on the sport was also felt in international competition. In 1993, 1995, and 1997, he assisted the USA Women's teams at the World University Games, winning a silver medal in both 1993 and 1997. He also coached five years professionally, leading the LA Starlites to a Major League Volleyball championship in 1987 and the Orange County Diggers to consecutive titles in 1995 and 1996.
In 1999, Gasparian was named athletics director at Golden West after previously serving on an interim basis during the 1993-94 academic year. In 2005, after 22 seasons leading the CCCAA's most successful volleyball program, Gasparian became Dean of Physical Education, Health, and Athletics at Golden West, overseeing 17 sports and the Health and Kinesiology Division.
Gasparian has filled numerous leadership capacities within the CCCAA and has served as the JC/CC representative on the American Volleyball Coaches Association Board of Directors.
Within NATYCAA, he has served on the Executive Committee as both a district representative and officer, culminating with a term as President in 2016-17, the same year he was recognized as a NACDA Under Armour Athletic Director of the Year.
A 1977 graduate of UCLA with a bachelor's degree in political science, Gasparian then obtained his master's in physical education from Azusa Pacific University in 1985.
Gasparian has been a member of the Community Services Advisory Commission for over 10 years and was selected for the newly formed Huntington Beach Sports Commission in 2013.
In 2007, he was inducted into the California Community College Women's Volleyball Coaches Association Hall of Fame. Seven years later, he was inducted into the CCCAA Hall of Fame.
(Courtesy NATYCAA)