University of Providence Women's Volleyball

Duda is in his 12th year leading the University of Great Falls volleyball program in 2015.  As the second head coach in team history, Duda has seen the program grow from its infancy into a perennial contender in the Frontier Conference and the region. Since taking the reins of the program, Duda has guided the Lady Argonauts to 176 wins and seven winning seasons, including three 20-win campaigns.  The Lady Argos finished 16-13 in 2014 and finished fourth in the regular-season standings. He has twice been named the Frontier Conference Coach of the Year, earning the honor in 2005 and 2006.  The highlight of Duda's coaching career, thus far, came in 2006 as the Lady Argos captured the Frontier Conference Championship.  The Lady Argos finished that season ranked No. 23 in the NAIA National Poll.  In 2009, Duda again led the Lady Argos to the top of the conference, earning a share of the Frontier Conference Championship with an 11-3 conference record. Since arriving at UGF, Duda's success has been predicated on his ability to recruit and develop top-caliber athletes. In his short time at UGF, Duda has brought in many athletes that have received conference, regional, and national recognition. There have been 14 All-Region players, 26 All-Conference players, and nine All-Freshman players and one Conference and Regional Libero of the Year. Duda came to the UGF after serving as the assistant volleyball coach at Santa Monica College in California for two seasons. Duda was a major contributor to the success of the SMC program during the 2002 and 2003 seasons. With him on the coaching staff, the team finished both seasons ranked in the top 15 of the state and made it to the second round of post-season play. Prior to his stint at SMC, Duda was a volunteer assistant coach for the women's volleyball program at his alma mater, Santa Clara University.  SCU made several NCAA post-season appearances in Duda's time with the program.  Duda also developed strong California recruiting ties through four years of coaching the City Beach Club Team in San Jose, Calif. As a player, Duda prepped at Loyola High School in Los Angeles.  He was an All-American at the junior club level for team East Beach in Santa Barbara, Calif.  He also won a gold medal and two silver medals at the Junior Olympics from 1994-1998. Arunas and his wife Jennifer welcomed their second child, Mace Thomas, in January of 2012.  They also have another son, Miles Thomas, who is currently 6.                               The Duda Family 2012 Arunas Duda Head Volleyball Coach Arunas Duda is in his 12th year leading the University of Great Falls volleyball program in 2015.  As the second head coach in team history, Duda has seen the program grow from its infancy into a perennial contender in the Frontier Conference and the region. Since taking the reins of the program, Duda has guided the Lady Argonauts to 176 wins and seven winning seasons, including three 20-win campaigns.  The Lady Argos finished 16-13 in 2014 and finished fourth in the regular-season standings. He has twice been named the Frontier Conference Coach of the Year, earning the honor in 2005 and 2006.  The highlight of Duda's coaching career, thus far, came in 2006 as the Lady Argos captured the Frontier Conference Championship.  The Lady Argos finished that season ranked No. 23 in the NAIA National Poll.  In 2009, Duda again led the Lady Argos to the top of the conference, earning a share of the Frontier Conference Championship with an 11-3 conference record. Since arriving at UGF, Duda's success has been predicated on his ability to recruit and develop top-caliber athletes. In his short time at UGF, Duda has brought in many athletes that have received conference, regional, and national recognition. There have been 14 All-Region players, 26 All-Conference players, and nine All-Freshman players and one Conference and Regional Libero of the Year. Duda came to the UGF after serving as the assistant volleyball coach at Santa Monica College in California for two seasons. Duda was a major contributor to the success of the SMC program during the 2002 and 2003 seasons. With him on the coaching staff, the team finished both seasons ranked in the top 15 of the state and made it to the second round of post-season play. Prior to his stint at SMC, Duda was a volunteer assistant coach for the women's volleyball program at his alma mater, Santa Clara University.  SCU made several NCAA post-season appearances in Duda's time with the program.  Duda also developed strong California recruiting ties through four years of coaching the City Beach Club Team in San Jose, Calif. As a player, Duda prepped at Loyola High School in Los Angeles.  He was an All-American at the junior club level for team East Beach in Santa Barbara, Calif.  He also won a gold medal and two silver medals at the Junior Olympics from 1994-1998. Arunas and his wife Jennifer welcomed their second child, Mace Thomas, in January of 2012.  They also have another son, Miles Thomas, who is currently 6.                               The Duda Family 2012

Sacha Simmons is entering her fourth year coaching volleyball at the University of Providence. Simmons started coaching club volleyball at age 15 in Belgium and continued in the United States after playing at UP. Simmons was named the Frontier Conference Assistant Coach of the Year in 2023 and 2024.  Sacha played 12 years in Belgium and was the captain of the Belgium National team for four years on her way to winning her first National Championship. She then came to the U.S. and started her collegiate career as the captain of the College of Southern Idaho. Simmons would lead her team to a runner-up finish and a National Championship in the two years she was there. Following her success at CSI, she transferred to the University of Providence where she was first team all-conference and AVCA Northwest all-region team twice. In 2020 she was a honorable mention All-American leading the nation in digs per set (7.4) and was fifth in the nation in total digs (703). Sacha is the current record holder for digs and digs per set in a season at Providence and helped the Argos end their 2021 season ranked fifth overall. In her collegiate career, she won five conference championships, five conference tournaments and appeared at the national tournament five years in a row.

Alexa joined the University of Providence volleyball staff in the 2024 season. Alexa was the 2014 National Gatorade Player of the Year and was a Setter for Auburn University from 2014-2017. Alexa concluded her career with 4,721 assists to rank No. 1 in program history in the rally-scoring era. She became the first Tiger since 1998 to reach 4,500 career assists and her 10.24 assists/set average is sixth in Auburn program history and once again first in the rally-scoring era. Alexa holds the Top 4 spots in Auburn single-season history (rally-scoring only) - 1,227 (2016), 1,226 (2015), 1,175 (2014), 1,093 (2017). In addition, she holds the Top 4 spots in assists average as her 10.72 mark in 2017 is No. 1.  Defensively, she is just the second setter in program history and first in rally-scoring only to reach 1,000 career digs and finished her career with 1,315 which ranks fourth in program history. Her 2.85 digs/set average for her career is seventh and in 2016, she reached 367 total digs which ranks 10th in single-season history.  Accolades:  2017 All-SEC 2017 War Eagle Invitational All-Tournament Team 2016 AVCA All-South Region Honorable Mention 2016 All-SEC 2016 Michigan Challenge Team 2016 Auburn Invitational All-Tournament Team 2016 Active Ankle Challenge All-Tournament Team 2016 SEC Academic Honor Roll 2015 AVCA All-South Region Honorable Mention 2015 Memphis Invitational All-Tournament Team (MVP) 2015 SEC Academic Honor Roll 2014 War Eagle Invitational All-Tournament Team (MVP) 2014 Active Ankle Challenge All-Tournament Team 2014-15 First-Year SEC Academic Honor Roll