SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico. Wednesday, October 30, 2024.- In a landslide vote in the 2024 Year-End Awards of the Men’s Superior Volleyball League (LVSM), Plataneros de Corozal head coach Ramón “Monchito” Hernández Cruz was awarded the “Coach of the Year” title.
The Bayamón native earned 70 votes to claim the honor. In second place was Marcos Liendo Sivira, head coach of the defending champions Caribes de San Sebastián, with 45 votes, while Gerardo “Gerry” De Jesús of the Mets de Guaynabo took third with a total of 36 votes.
“I’m thankful to the Federation, but this year has been a collective effort by the management, coaching staff, and, above all, the players; that’s the most important thing. And secondly, we are very focused on this series against Yauco. We continue to prepare well because we know it’s a tough series, and we’re constantly looking for ways to improve our game for the best results”, Hernández Cruz commented.
He added, “I’m grateful to management for letting me return; I played for Corozal for 10 years, and representing this franchise is something special, which I’ve made sure the players understand. This isn’t about Ramón, but rather a team effort from many people. I have an excellent coaching staff, and I’d dare say it’s one of the best”.
Monchito also expressed his deep gratitude to his players for believing in the philosophy of the coaching staff and management.
This is the fourth time Hernández has won Coach of the Year; he recalls receiving it with the Plataneros roughly 10 years ago.
Tonight, the Plataneros, under his direction, are vying for a semifinal berth when they face the Cafeteros de Yauco in the fourth game of the series. Speaking about the matchup, Ramón concluded, “It’s been a very tough series, and we’re preparing. Both teams are giving their all, and we expect another hard-fought game tonight”.
Hernández was a three-time All-American while playing collegiate volleyball for Penn State from 1991 to 1994. He led Penn State to the NCAA Championship in 1994 and earned the NCAA Championship Most Outstanding Player award. Penn State was the first non-California team to win the championship.
In 2014, he was inducted into the Eastern Intercollegiate Volleyball Association Hall of Fame.
Hernández also won the bronze medal in men’s beach volleyball at the 2003 Pan American Games in Santo Domingo, partnered with Raúl Papaleo, who currently serves as his assistant with the Plataneros de Corozal in the LVSM. He represented Puerto Rico in beach volleyball at the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens.
Hernández was the head coach of the Puerto Rico men’s volleyball team in 2017.
Other coaches receiving votes included Jamille Torres (Changos de Naranjito), Abel Franceschi Ibarrondo (Cafeteros de Yauco), and Juan Lacen (Indios de Mayagüez).
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