Chad Esposito named head volleyball coach at Youngstown State

YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio -- Chad Esposito, a five-time conference Coach of the Year who has revitalized three collegiate volleyball programs, will be charged with taking Youngstown State to a new level of success as the eighth head volleyball coach in school history.

Esposito comes to Youngstown with 257 victories and six conference championships at four different schools in his head coaching career. In his latest rebuilding effort, Esposito turned a High Point program that had won 19 matches combined in four seasons into a Big South champion.

"I want to thank Ron Strollo (executive director of intercollegiate athletics) and Elaine Jacobs (senior woman administrator) for giving me the opportunity to lead this team," Esposito said. "I am excited to join Youngstown State in its commitment to developing a championship volleyball program.

"I have been very impressed with the direction and vision that is in place for Youngstown State's athletics programs, and I truly believe that this program can win a Horizon League championship. The team we put on the court will be thrilling to watch, and a team the community can embrace. It is going to be a fast-paced and enjoyable brand of volleyball. With all the momentum right now around the campus, especially in the athletics department, this is an exciting time to be a Penguin."

Strollo echoed Esposito's excitement for the future of the volleyball program.

"We are extremely excited about the future of our volleyball program with a proven winner like Coach Esposito at the helm," Strollo said. "He has already shown a great deal of success as a head coach at the Division I level, and his demonstrated ability of rebuilding programs will be key to our team moving into the top tier of the Horizon League."

Esposito spent six seasons at High Point, turning the Panthers from a consistent bottom team in the Big South into conference champion. High Point had gone 19-110 in its first four years of Division I competition from 1999 to 2002. Esposito guided the program to a 101-101 record in his six seasons, including a mark of 50-16 in his final two years.

In 2008, High Point went 26-7, shared the Big South regular-season title and advanced to the semifinals of the Big South Tournament for the first time in school history. The Panthers were 24-9 in 2007, and they had 17 wins in Esposito's second year on campus.

Esposito also helped High Point establish a solid program off the volleyball court. His squads excelled in the classroom, earning the American Volleyball Coaches Association Team Academic Award in 2006 and 2008 with team grade-point averages of 3.39 and 3.42, respectively. Esposito and his squads had a presence in the community through service projects, and he spearheaded a fund-raising effort that allowed High Point to take a 10-day tour of Greece in 2008.

Esposito spent the 2009 season as an assistant coach at Charlotte. He helped the 49ers return to the Atlantic 10 Conference tournament for the first time since 2006.

Esposito has been successful throughout his coaching career. He has led his teams to 23-or-more wins in seven of his 13 years as a head coach.

Before going to High Point, Esposito spent two seasons at Division II Wheeling Jesuit University in West Virginia. He led the Lady Cardinals to a 54-28 record and was twice named the West Virginia Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Coach of the Year. Wheeling Jesuit won two conference crowns and one conference tournament title under his tutelage.

Esposito went 77-59 in four seasons at Division II Lees-McRae College in Banner Elk, N.C., before going to Wheeling Jesuit. There, he led a 26-match turnaround in two seasons, going from one win in 1995 to 27 wins and a conference title in 1997. He was named the Carolinas-Virginia Athletic Conference Coach of the Year following the 1997 and 1998 seasons.

Esposito got his collegiate coaching start at Division II St. Andrew's Presbyterian College in Laurinburg, N.C., in 1994. In his lone season there, his squad went 25-10 and won the Carolinas-Virginia Athletic Conference regular season and tournament titles.

Esposito has been a lead lecturer at the Charlotte Coaches Clinic in 2008 and 2009 and has worked camps at Charlotte, Davidson, West Virginia and Marshall. He has also received Level 1 Certification, Olympic Solidarity Volleyball, from the Federation of International Volleyball (FIVB) and the International Olympic Committee.

Esposito also has vast experience in athletics administration. He has worked as a sports information director, director of compliance and academic coordinator.

Esposito earned a communications degree from St. Andrew's Presbyterian College in 1991 after receiving four letters in tennis. He earned a master's degree in higher education administration from Appalachian State in 1999 and attended law school at West Virginia University before going to High Point.

Esposito and his wife, Dr. Judy Esposito, have two sons, Benjamin (9) and Patrick (6).

Release courtesy of Youngstown State Assistant SID John Vogel