Volleyball

Jeff Alzina, who has more than 25 years of volleyball coaching experience, is in his third year as associate head coach of Santa Clara volleyball in 2021-22. 

Alzina, hired in February 2019, brings a diverse background in both the indoor and beach games to Santa Clara from high school through Olympic-level teams. He is the winningest coach in AVP Beach Volleyball history, with more than 1,100 victories to his credit, and won a national championship with UCLA beach volleyball in 2018.

During Alzina's time with the Broncos, Santa Clara has produced two AVCA all-region selections, nine all-WCC accolades and 10 WCC all-academic nods.

The Broncos battled through the challenges of playing during the COVID-19 pandemic in their 2020 season, which took place in spring 2021 after the fall campaign was postponed. They were one of the toughest serving teams in the country, leading the WCC in aces (114, 33^rd NCAA) and aces/set (1.75, 24^th NCAA). Julia Sangiacomo was named to the AVCA Pacific North All-Region Team, giving the Santa Clara all-region selections in consecutive seasons for the first time since 2007-08.

Alzina helped head coach Erin Lindsey and the Broncos produce a stellar campaign during Lindsey's first season at the helm in 2019. Santa Clara went 21-12 overall (10-8 WCC), reached the postseason for the first time since 2015 and won its first postseason match since 2008 with an opening-round victory at Long Beach State in the NIVC. The Broncos, who logged a 15-win improvement compared to the previous year, also won 20 matches for the first time since 2015. Santa Clara took fourth place in the conference after being picked to finish ninth in the preseason coaches poll. The team's 10-3 nonconference record marked its best start through 13 matches since 2014. Santa Clara was the only WCC program to win 10 matches in nonconference play, which included victories in all six neutral site tournament tilts.

Taylor Odom led the NCAA and set a program record with 196 total blocks, the most in any era in Bronco history and good for fourth all-time in the WCC. Odom became Santa Clara’s first AVCA All-Pacific North Region selection since 2015 and garnered First Team All-WCC honors. Santa Clara led the WCC with 326.5 total blocks (10th NCAA) and 2.63 blocks/set (22nd NCAA), while holding opponents to a .168 hitting percentage (2nd WCC, 32nd NCAA). The Broncos also excelled in the classroom by matching a program best with five WCC all-academic honorees, including three student-athletes on the WCC All-Academic Team for the first time since 2005.

Alzina joined the Broncos from UCLA, where he won the 2018 NCAA beach volleyball national championship as a volunteer assistant coach. UCLA's beach team posted a 40-4 overall record during its championship season. The Bruins went on a 31-match winning streak from March through May and held serve as the NCAA Tournament's No. 1 overall seed to win their first national championship on the sand.

In 2017, Alzina served as a volunteer assistant for Long Beach State beach volleyball. LBSU posted a 26-10 record that season to double its win total from the previous year, and qualified for the NCAA Tournament as the No. 6 seed. Between his tenures at UCLA and Long Beach State, Alzina coached 12 All-Americans and 17 all-conference honorees.

Alzina spent nine years across two stints as an assistant coach for the Cal State Los Angeles women's indoor team (2002-06, 2012-15). The Golden Eagles went 170-92 (.649) with Alzina on staff. He helped produce eight All-Americans, nine all-region players and 31 all-conference selections, including 2005 conference player of the year Tiare Tuitama and two conference freshmen of the year.

The Santa Cruz, California native studied social psychology as an undergraduate student at UC Santa Barbara and earned a master's in kinesiology from Long Beach State.

"Santa Clara volleyball has a very strong tradition, and I'm really excited to grow its legacy," Alzina said upon being hired. "With both Coach Lindsey and I earning separate 2018 NCAA National Championships, the Broncos will get to experience the infectious momentum and the detailed training that come from achieving those titles."

Head Coach Erin Lindsey on Alzina: "Jeff is an experienced coach and teacher who has worked with a wide variety of athletes from beginners to Olympians. He has an exceptional rapport with the student-athletes and knows what it takes to win championships. I liked that he possessed experience coaching both indoor and beach and will help continue to grow our recruiting relationships in Southern California. His experience in preparation and scouting for important matches will be of significant value for both indoor and beach teams. Jeff will take the lead in training our beach athletes and continue to improve our beach program."