Completed Event: Women's Volleyball versus Arizona on December 5, 2025 , Loss , 1, to, 3
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FINAL
Women's Volleyball
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vs Arizona
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South Dakota State University Athletics
Photo by: Dave Eggen/Inertia
AIAZZI ADDED TO JACKRABBIT VOLLEYBALL STAFF
3/15/2024 1:15:00 PM | Women's Volleyball
BROOKINGS, S.D. - South Dakota State head volleyball coach Dan Georgalas has announced the hiring of Cole Aiazzi as an assistant coach.
Aiazzi comes to the Jackrabbit volleyball program after one season at Eastern Illinois and six seasons at Montana State.
 "Jackrabbit volleyball is very excited to welcome Cole Aiazzi to Brookings," said Georgalas. "From our first phone call with Cole, we could tell he would be a great fit with our athletics department, our community and our volleyball program."
"As a former libero, Cole should bring immediate contributions to our libero training and defensive systems," Georgalas added. "He brings a lot of Division I experience to our staff, he has recruiting connections in our region, and we are delighted that he'll be a part of what we accomplish next."
While at Eastern Illinois in 2023, Aiazzi helped the Panthers win the Ohio Valley Conference regular season and earn the right to host the OVC Tournament for the first time since 1998. The Panthers swept their way through the OVC postseason to earn an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2001. He was the team's defensive coordinator.
With Aiazzi on staff, four Panthers landed on the All-OVC First Team, including the league player of the year and setter of the year. EIU finished the season 28-4 overall and 15-3 in conference matches.
"I would like to thank Head Coach Dan Georgalas, Athletic Director Justin Sell and Senior Women's Administrator Holly VanVlymen for the opportunity to join the Jacks," said Aiazzi. "I'm excited to get started with program and help the athletes reach their goals. I'm looking forward to joining the Brookings community and being a part of the winning ways of the SDSU athletic department."
At Montana State, Aiazzi served as acting head coach, associate head coach, assistant coach and recruiting coordinator during his six seasons on staff. He spent time working with both the offense and defense at MSU. In 2019, Aiazzi coached Bobcat libero Allyssa Rizzo to Big Sky Libero of the Year honors. She is the Montana State leader in career digs and is one of three players in Big Sky conference history with more than 2,000 digs in their career. Two more Bobcats earned all-Big Sky recognition that season, making it the first time in program history three players received all-conference honors in the same year.
Prior to joining the Bobcat staff in July 2017, Aiazzi spent the 2016 season on staff at Nebraska, which won the Big Ten and made a Final Four appearance that season. Before his stop in Lincoln, Aiazzi was a graduate assistant coach at Augustana College in Sioux Falls, where he produced scouting reports and trained liberos and outside hitters. He also assisted with recruiting duties.
Aiazzi has club experience with Volleyball Club Nebraska, where he coached the 17 Elite squad to a Heartland Cup championship and a top-five finish at Asics President's Day Classic.
Aiazzi is a 2015 graduate of Lakeland College, where he was an AVCA Division III All-America libero. As a player, he was the 2015 Midwest Collegiate Volleyball League Defensive Player of the Year and a first-team All-MCVL selection for the Muskies.
Aiazzi holds a bachelor's degree in exercise science and sport studies. He earned a master's degree in educational administration from Nebraska. He is a native of Yerington, Nevada.Â
-GoJacks.com-
Aiazzi comes to the Jackrabbit volleyball program after one season at Eastern Illinois and six seasons at Montana State.
 "Jackrabbit volleyball is very excited to welcome Cole Aiazzi to Brookings," said Georgalas. "From our first phone call with Cole, we could tell he would be a great fit with our athletics department, our community and our volleyball program."
"As a former libero, Cole should bring immediate contributions to our libero training and defensive systems," Georgalas added. "He brings a lot of Division I experience to our staff, he has recruiting connections in our region, and we are delighted that he'll be a part of what we accomplish next."While at Eastern Illinois in 2023, Aiazzi helped the Panthers win the Ohio Valley Conference regular season and earn the right to host the OVC Tournament for the first time since 1998. The Panthers swept their way through the OVC postseason to earn an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2001. He was the team's defensive coordinator.
With Aiazzi on staff, four Panthers landed on the All-OVC First Team, including the league player of the year and setter of the year. EIU finished the season 28-4 overall and 15-3 in conference matches.
"I would like to thank Head Coach Dan Georgalas, Athletic Director Justin Sell and Senior Women's Administrator Holly VanVlymen for the opportunity to join the Jacks," said Aiazzi. "I'm excited to get started with program and help the athletes reach their goals. I'm looking forward to joining the Brookings community and being a part of the winning ways of the SDSU athletic department."
At Montana State, Aiazzi served as acting head coach, associate head coach, assistant coach and recruiting coordinator during his six seasons on staff. He spent time working with both the offense and defense at MSU. In 2019, Aiazzi coached Bobcat libero Allyssa Rizzo to Big Sky Libero of the Year honors. She is the Montana State leader in career digs and is one of three players in Big Sky conference history with more than 2,000 digs in their career. Two more Bobcats earned all-Big Sky recognition that season, making it the first time in program history three players received all-conference honors in the same year.
Prior to joining the Bobcat staff in July 2017, Aiazzi spent the 2016 season on staff at Nebraska, which won the Big Ten and made a Final Four appearance that season. Before his stop in Lincoln, Aiazzi was a graduate assistant coach at Augustana College in Sioux Falls, where he produced scouting reports and trained liberos and outside hitters. He also assisted with recruiting duties.
Aiazzi has club experience with Volleyball Club Nebraska, where he coached the 17 Elite squad to a Heartland Cup championship and a top-five finish at Asics President's Day Classic.
Aiazzi is a 2015 graduate of Lakeland College, where he was an AVCA Division III All-America libero. As a player, he was the 2015 Midwest Collegiate Volleyball League Defensive Player of the Year and a first-team All-MCVL selection for the Muskies.
Aiazzi holds a bachelor's degree in exercise science and sport studies. He earned a master's degree in educational administration from Nebraska. He is a native of Yerington, Nevada.Â
-GoJacks.com-
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