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News Release
GREG GIOVANAZZI STEPS DOWN AS UMBC WOMEN’S VOLLEYBALL HEAD COACH
11/29/2004
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Baltimore, Md. – Greg Giovanazzi has resigned his position as Head Coach of the UMBC Women’s Volleyball team effective immediately as announced by Director of Athletics Dr. Charles Brown. Sighting undisclosed health reasons, Giovanazzi leaves his post after two seasons with the Retrievers and nine years of collegiate head coaching. Dr. Brown also announced Assistant Coach Shelbylynn McBride has been named Interim Head Coach until the position is filled.
“Greg is an excellent coach and even more so an all-around great person,” said Dr. Brown. “We are very sorry that his tenure couldn’t be longer but his first priority is to get healthy and we wish him the best.”
Giovanazzi has coached over 25 Olympians and 40 All-Americans during his coaching career in the collegiate and international level over the past 24 years. Giovanazzi’s Division I head coaching career began at the University of Michigan in 1992 as he led the women’s volleyball program on a progressive upward scale during his seven-year tenure, taking his 1995 squad to the National Invitational Volleyball Championships and earning the program’s best finish since the 1981 season with a 21-12 record in 1997.
Giovanazzi, who graduated from UCLA in 1981, is a three-time USVBA All-American honoree and won a national championship with the Bruins in 1976. Giovanazzi has coached all over the world, including in the 1992 Barcelona Summer Olympic Games and in the 1996 Atlanta Summer Olympic Games.
McBride will handle all aspects of the program until the vacancy is filled.
A national search will begin immediately to fill the position.