Bio
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UMBC has turned to Greg Giovanazzi to help lead the Retrievers back to the top of the Northeast Conference. A veteran coach and player at the international, national, professional and collegiate levels, Giovanazzi joined the Retrievers’ coaching staff in 2002 as a volunteer assistant coach.
Pior to his arrival at UMBC, Giovanzzi spent seven seasons as the head coach at the University of Michigan after a two-year stint as the top assistant coach with the women’s United States National Team. In 1997, the Wolverines made its first NCAA Championship appearance, advancing to second round competition with a five-game win over Temple. Giovanzzi led the team to one of the program’s best-ever season records (21-12) and a third-place finish in the Big Ten Conference. It wasn’t Giovanzzi’s only postseason tournament, however, as Michigan made its first postseason appearance since 1981 with a trip to the 1995 National Invitational Volleyball Championship.
Before joining the U.S.A. Volleyball staff, Giovanazzi spent 10 years (1981-90) as first assistant coach with the top-ranked UCLA women’s and men’s volleyball programs. During his tenure, the Bruin teams made a combined six NCAA Volleyball Final Four appearances, winning the women’s national title in 1984 and the men’s national championship twice (1981, 1984). He helped coach 13 UCLA women’s All-Americans and eight Bruin men’s Olympians.
Giovanazzi received his first head coaching position in 1989 with the San Jose Golddiggers Women’s Professional Volleyball squad where he was selected an All-Star Coach for the league. He also spent two seasons (1982-83) as head coach for the Santa Monica College men’s volleyball team after a one-year stint as the assistant men’s coach at the University of Hawaii. Giovanazzi led Santa Monica to the finals of the 1983 California State Junior College Tournament and earned Southern California Coach of the Year honors.
Giovanazzi developed his leadership skills and understanding of the game as a three-year member of the Bruins’ men’s volleyball team (1976-78). UCLA finished as 1976 NCAA National Champions and 1978 NCAA National runner-up. He was three times selected a USVBA All-American (1982, 1984, 1988) and was a member of both 1983 U.S.A. Pan American and World University Games teams as well as the 1977 USA Junior National team. Added to his playing accomplishments, Giovanazzi played two seasons in the Italian League (1979, 1986) and is a member of the Culver City (Calif.) High School Hall of Fame.
During his tenure as a coach, advisor and player with the U.S.A. Volleyball program, Giovanazzi has been involved in every major world competition. Teams he has been affiliated with have medaled at the 1992 Olympic Games (bronze), the 1990 World Championships (bronze) and the 1994 Goodwill Games (silver). He also served as an advisor to the 1996 U.S.A. women’s volleyball team during the Olympic competition in Atlanta.
Giovanazzi remains active with the United States Volleyball Association and USA Volleyball as instructor/clinician for players and coaches, and holds professional affiliations with USVBA, American Volleyball Coaches Association and Federation of International Volleyball. Giovanazzi has a Level Four CAP certification.