A year after being named the Cranston Herald’s Girls Coach of the Year, Jhamal Diggs has been named the Herald’s Boys Coach of the Year as the coach of the East volleyball team.

The Bolts were coming off of a down season in 2021 in which they won just two contests. To make matters worse, the players were returning after the passing of longtime cAoach Meg McGonagle just months prior to opening day.

Diggs, who coached girls basketball, took the reins and would help the Bolts turn their program around while recovering from the loss of its beloved coach. East would reach the crowded Division I playoffs and pull off a quarterfinal upset by beating Bishop Hendricken 3-1 on the road. East fell to eventual champion North Kingstown in the semis.

Players like Jordan Bou would emerge as some of the state’s best and East will be set to make some noise next spring.

Diggs is now an assistant coach with the Rhode Island College women’s basketball team.

Best of the rest: Tom Milewski, West; Yair Correa, West