Upcoming Event: Women's Volleyball versus Yellow & Blue Scrimmage on August 8, 2026 at 11:00 a.m.
/
11:00 a.m.
Women's Volleyball
vs Yellow & Blue Scrimmage
South Dakota State University Athletics
Women's Volleyball
Cole Aiazzi
- Title:
- Assistant Coach
- Email:
- Cole.Aiazzi@sdstate.edu
Cole Aiazzi enters his third season with the South Dakota State volleyball team in 2026. With Aiazzi on staff, SDSU is 50-8 overall and 31-1 in Summit League action over the last two seasons.
In 2025, Aiazzi helped the Jackrabbits to a perfect 16-0 mark in the conference regular season. The Jacks finished runner-up in the Summit League postseason and earned an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament for the second straight season. SDSU finished the year with a 23-5 overall record - the program’s third most wins in the Division I era - and a final RPI of 36. The Jackrabbits picked up the first win over a Big Ten team in program history when SDSU beat Illinois 3-1 in the season opener. The Jacks also beat Ole Miss at First Bank & Trust Arena for another win over a power conference opponent. The victories over the Illini and the Rebels marked the program’s second and third wins over a power conference opponent in the Division I era.
Five SDSU players earned all-conference honors from the Summit League in 2025. Sylvie Zgonc was again named the Summit League Player of the Year to go with AVCA All-Regional and honorable mention All-America accolades. Zgonc was the fourth player in Summit League history to win Player of the Year in consecutive seasons and first since 2008-09. Joining Zgonc on the Summit League First Team were Madison Burr, Rylee Martin and Sydni Schetnan. Hannah Klein was named to the Summit League All-Freshman Team. Additionally, Joslyn Richardson was named the Summit League Scholar of the Tournament for the second straight year.
A number of Jackrabbbits put up impressive numbers in 2025. Zgonc posted top five marks in program history in total kills, kills per set, points per set and total attacks. Martin’s 1,035 total assists in her junior season ranks fourth in program history while her 10.25 assists per set ranks first. SDSU’s middle duo of Schetnan and Burr combined for four record book updates in blocks and blocks per set for a season. Richardson set a new program record for single-season ace serves with 41, three of which came against Arizona in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament.
Aiazzi helped the Jackrabbits go 27-3 (15-1 Summit) in 2024 and earn an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament. SDSU started the season with a 22-0 mark, the best start to a season and the longest win streak in program history, and went on to win the Summit League regular season and finish runner-up in the Summit League postseason. The Jackrabbits’ first NCAA at-large bid in program history sent SDSU to Lincoln, Nebraska, where the team fell to Miami in the opening round. SDSU's final RPI of the season was 34.
Three Jackrabbits earned Summit League honors in 2024. Sylvie Zgonc was named the Summit League Player of the Year, AVCA All-Region and All-America honorable mention as just a sophomore. Her 4.37 kills per set and 4.88 points per set both rank third in a single season for the Jackrabbits. Zgonc was joined on the All-Summit First Team and All-Region team by Sydni Schetnan. Schetnan also set a new program record with a .388 hit percentage in 2024 and tallied 146 total blocks on the year, the second most in a single season at SDSU. Madison Burr was tabbed the Summit League Freshman of the Year and was an honorable mention all-league selection. Her 130 blocks in her freshman season is the fourth-most my an SDSU player in a single season. Rylee Martin tallied 38 ace serves on the year, also program record.
The Jackrabbits set six team statistic records in 2024 - kills per set (13.13), hit percentage (.242), aces per set (1.59), total blocks (310.0), blocks per set (2.74) and points per set (17.47). SDSU also set a new volleyball attendance record at its home opener against Kansas City with 2,853 fans. It was also the first official event held at the newly-renovated First Bank & Trust Arena.
Aiazzi came to the Jackrabbit volleyball program after one season at Eastern Illinois and six seasons at Montana State.
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.
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.
In 2025, Aiazzi helped the Jackrabbits to a perfect 16-0 mark in the conference regular season. The Jacks finished runner-up in the Summit League postseason and earned an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament for the second straight season. SDSU finished the year with a 23-5 overall record - the program’s third most wins in the Division I era - and a final RPI of 36. The Jackrabbits picked up the first win over a Big Ten team in program history when SDSU beat Illinois 3-1 in the season opener. The Jacks also beat Ole Miss at First Bank & Trust Arena for another win over a power conference opponent. The victories over the Illini and the Rebels marked the program’s second and third wins over a power conference opponent in the Division I era.
Five SDSU players earned all-conference honors from the Summit League in 2025. Sylvie Zgonc was again named the Summit League Player of the Year to go with AVCA All-Regional and honorable mention All-America accolades. Zgonc was the fourth player in Summit League history to win Player of the Year in consecutive seasons and first since 2008-09. Joining Zgonc on the Summit League First Team were Madison Burr, Rylee Martin and Sydni Schetnan. Hannah Klein was named to the Summit League All-Freshman Team. Additionally, Joslyn Richardson was named the Summit League Scholar of the Tournament for the second straight year.
A number of Jackrabbbits put up impressive numbers in 2025. Zgonc posted top five marks in program history in total kills, kills per set, points per set and total attacks. Martin’s 1,035 total assists in her junior season ranks fourth in program history while her 10.25 assists per set ranks first. SDSU’s middle duo of Schetnan and Burr combined for four record book updates in blocks and blocks per set for a season. Richardson set a new program record for single-season ace serves with 41, three of which came against Arizona in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament.
Aiazzi helped the Jackrabbits go 27-3 (15-1 Summit) in 2024 and earn an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament. SDSU started the season with a 22-0 mark, the best start to a season and the longest win streak in program history, and went on to win the Summit League regular season and finish runner-up in the Summit League postseason. The Jackrabbits’ first NCAA at-large bid in program history sent SDSU to Lincoln, Nebraska, where the team fell to Miami in the opening round. SDSU's final RPI of the season was 34.
Three Jackrabbits earned Summit League honors in 2024. Sylvie Zgonc was named the Summit League Player of the Year, AVCA All-Region and All-America honorable mention as just a sophomore. Her 4.37 kills per set and 4.88 points per set both rank third in a single season for the Jackrabbits. Zgonc was joined on the All-Summit First Team and All-Region team by Sydni Schetnan. Schetnan also set a new program record with a .388 hit percentage in 2024 and tallied 146 total blocks on the year, the second most in a single season at SDSU. Madison Burr was tabbed the Summit League Freshman of the Year and was an honorable mention all-league selection. Her 130 blocks in her freshman season is the fourth-most my an SDSU player in a single season. Rylee Martin tallied 38 ace serves on the year, also program record.
The Jackrabbits set six team statistic records in 2024 - kills per set (13.13), hit percentage (.242), aces per set (1.59), total blocks (310.0), blocks per set (2.74) and points per set (17.47). SDSU also set a new volleyball attendance record at its home opener against Kansas City with 2,853 fans. It was also the first official event held at the newly-renovated First Bank & Trust Arena.
Aiazzi came to the Jackrabbit volleyball program after one season at Eastern Illinois and six seasons at Montana State.
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.
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.
Wednesday, December 10
Tuesday, December 02
Wednesday, November 26
Wednesday, November 26
