Christine Paciero has been named the new head volleyball coach at the University of Wisconsin-Parkside, Director of Athletics,
Tamie Falk-Day, announced today. She is the 11th head volleyball coach in program history.
“We are very excited to add Christine to our Ranger Family,” said Falk-Day. “Her passion for the game and attention to academic success are a great fit for us. She is a proven winner and welcomes the challenge of competing in the Great Lakes Valley Conference.”
Paciero (pronounced- Pah-share-oh) joins the UW-Parkside Athletic Department after a highly successful stint as the Head Volleyball Coach and Athletic Events Manger at Dominican University in River Forest, Illinois. A native of the area, Paciero will begin her appointment officially on July 18th.
“I want to thank the UW-Parkside administration for their vote of confidence to continue the recent success of this program,” said Paciero. “As a Milwaukee area resident and former Division II coach and player, I'm ecstatic to be back coaching Division II volleyball and lead the only Division II program in Wisconsin. My family is here, I've been a member of the volleyball community here for many years … this is a special opportunity!”
Paciero led a remarkable turnaround at Dominican that culminated with the program's first conference tournament championship and NCAA Tournament appearance in 2010. She inherited a squad that finished 9-20 prior to her arrival in 2008 and promptly led them to the school's first volleyball regular season conference championship two years later. Her three-year record at Dominican was 63-38.
Her efforts earned her Northern Athletic Conference Coach of the Year awards in both 2009 and 2010. Two of her players at Dominican earned the conference's “Freshman of the Year” award while another was the 2009 “Defensive Player of the Year” in the league. All told, her players received 10 all-conference honors during her time with the Stars' program.
Paciero's success with her teams expands beyond the court as the program has been honored with the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) Academic Award the past two years. The 2010-11 team grade point average was 3.50.
Paciero is well-connected throughout the state as she served as a coach with the Wisconsin Juniors Volleyball Club as well as the varsity head coach at Cedarburg High School. During her stint in Cedarburg the Bulldogs won three consecutive conference championships.
Prior to her time in the high school ranks, Paciero was an assistant coach at Wayne State University, an NCAA Division II member in Detroit, Mich. There she helped the Warriors to two division championships and three, twenty-win seasons. She also spent time as an assistant coach at Schoolcraft Community College in Livonia, Mich., where the program reached the round of 16 at the national tournament.
Paciero enjoyed great success as a player as well, matriculating from Florida Southern College in Lakeland, Fla. There, she won two regional championships including one Final Four appearance for AVCA Hall of Fame Coach, Lois Webb. She began her collegiate career at Schoolcraft where her team won a national championship.
Paciero earned her bachelor's degree from Florida Southern in social studies education. She received her master's degree in educational leadership from Cardinal Stritch University in Milwaukee. She currently resides in Milwaukee.
