Between every bump, set, and match-point spike on September 26, American University proved that championship-level energy isn’t just measured on the court—it can power an entire building.

Stepping in as honorary guest coaches for the 2026 Patriot League volleyball champions, Seth Goldman, cofounder and CEO of Just Ice Tea, and Marcene Mitchell, senior vice president of climate change at the World Wildlife Fund, traded boardroom climate strategy for the sideline bench. 

While both conceded their call-up had little to do with their jump serves, the two members of the Kogod School of Business Sustainability Advisory Council took the helm to celebrate a landmark feat unfolding across the facility: AU officially accepting LEED Platinum certification for the Alan and Amy Meltzer Center for Athletic Performance.

Presented during the match, the certification elevates the Meltzer Center into rare company, establishing it as AU’s 11th LEED-certified building and placing it among only a handful of Division I athletic facilities across the country to secure the US Green Building Council’s highest rating.

“Celebrating American University’s leadership in sustainability with two pioneers, Marcene Mitchell and Seth Goldman, and our extraordinary women’s volleyball team, was an incredible way to showcase the energy, creativity, and innovative spirit that the AU community brings to every challenge and opportunity,” said AU Interim President Dave Marchick. “The Meltzer Center is just one example of what becomes possible when we commit to building solutions for a sustainable future.”

The achievement builds on AU’s momentum as the nation’s first university to reach carbon neutrality in 2018. Designed to push ecological boundaries, the Meltzer Center—which opened in January—features AU’s first ground-source geothermal heating and cooling system, powered by 85 wells drilled roughly 500 feet into the earth. 

Along with 1,334 rooftop solar panels, nearly 19,000 square feet of green roof space, and native pollinator landscaping, the facility also holds a Zero Energy Ready designation from Living Future.

“LEED Platinum is a high bar for any project and to have such unique and special building earn the designation and be among just the handful of D1 schools to have done so reflects AU’s deep and longstanding commitment to sustainability and will serve to propel us into future accomplishments,” said Megan Litke, director of sustainability. 

Litke said that bringing varsity competition into the fold energized the campus milestone. “Sustainability progress cannot be done in silos. AU frequently partners with other organizations to advance sustainability, and having such prominent sustainability experts join us as guest coaches [was] the perfect way to recognize the collaborative work that went into this project and to kick off the work that lies ahead.”

That sideline enthusiasm fueled a dominant display on the court. Fed by the crowd, the Eagles swept Patriot League rival Lafayette 3–0.

Watching the Eagles maintain composure through nail-biting rallies offered Goldman—who cofounded Honest Tea in Bethesda, Maryland, in 1998—a clear takeaway for organizational leadership.

“I’ve written before about personal energy being more important than time to an entrepreneur. But the American University Women’s volleyball team taught me to be even more specific: Energy on its own is not enough—the kind of energy you spread makes all the difference,” Goldman reflected on LinkedIn after the match.

“Like any good competition, there were lost points and lost opportunities but their body language between good and bad points was indistinguishable,” Goldman added. “They displayed the best kind of short memory, so the players could focus on having a positive mindset for the next play. . . .Winning takes more than good vibes, but a positive mindset helps create the right conditions for success.”

With the sweep sealing AU’s fifth straight win, Goldman was delighted to step away from the sidelines at peak form: “The team ended the day 3-0, and Marcene and I were able to end our coaching careers undefeated.”