Alesia Vaccari Named Simmons Head Volleyball Coach

Alesia Vaccari has been named Head Coach of the Simmons College Volleyball team, Director of Athletics Ali Kantor announced on Monday. Vaccari will be joining the Sharks for the fall 2011 season as a full-time member of the Athletics Department.

Coach Vaccari joins the Sharks after two years as the Assistant Coach for the Clarkson University Volleyball program. In 2009, Vaccari helped lead the Golden Knights to their first Liberty League Championship and NCAA Tournament appearance as Clarkson went 28-7, the top winning percentage in program history.

“I am so thrilled to have Alesia on staff,” said Kantor. “I truly believe she has the skills, enthusiasm and the commitment to the Simmons mission that will take our volleyball program to the next level.”

“I see so much potential for these athletes to grow on and off the court,” said Coach Vaccari. “I am looking forward to getting to work building the Simmons Volleyball program.”

Vaccari, a 2006 graduate of Springfield College with a degree in Athletic Training, was a two-time All-American for the Springfield Pride in 2003 and 2004, two seasons in which her team reached the NCAA Tournament. The 2004 NEWMAC Player of the Year as well, Vaccari is Springfield's all-time leader in assists (5,196) and aces (321) while ranking eighth at the school in digs (1,196). Springfield went 109-31 in her four seasons (.779 winning percentage) and she played in all 140 matches over that four-year span.

In addition to being a three-year captain for Springfield, Vaccari also was named the 2001 Connecticut High School Player of the Year and was a Junior Olympic Volleyball athlete.