March 5, 2004
WACO, Texas - Baylor volleyball completed its staff with the hiring of assistant coaches Candice O'Brien and Geno Frugoli, first-year head coach Jim Barnes announced Friday.
O'Brien has been an assistant under Barnes for the last three seasons, including the last two at Wyoming and one year at Lamar. Prior to Lamar, O'Brien was the head coach at Niagara (N.Y.) Community College.
O'Brien was an all-conference player at the University at Buffalo (N.Y.) from 1993-96 and finished her career as the Bulls' all-time leader in career and single-season kills, career and single-season kills per game, while ranking second all-time in digs and fourth in service aces. She received her bachlor's degree in exercise science in 1997. She and her husband, Pete, have a daughter, Logan (20 months).
"Candice has been a big reason for my success in the past," Barnes said. "She is a tremendous organizer and planner and connects well with the players and develops a tremendous trusting relationship with everyone. She was a very good collegiate player and understands the game very well. I'm very lucky to have such high quality coaches, with strong values, strong work ethics and who care very much for each student-athlete."
Frugoli, who will serve as recruiting coordinator, joins the Bears after one year as the head men's and women's coach at Peru State (Neb.) College. While at Peru State, he started the men's program, led the women's team to its first conference final appearance and coached one All-American, four all-conference and three academic All-American selections.
Prior to Peru State, Frugoli was the head coach at Dakota Wesleyan (S.D.) University, where he had six all-conference, one all-region and five academic All-American performers. Frugoli also coached at the high school and club levels in Las Vegas from 1993-2000, including serving as director of operations of All Sport Las Vegas Volleyball Club, the largest club program in Nevada, during that entire span.
Frugoli received a bachelor's degree in business administration from Nevada-Las Vegas in 1992 and a bachelor's degree in education in 1996. He also earned a master's in educational leadership from the University of Sioux Falls in 2002.
"Geno is a tremendous addition to our coaching staff," Barnes said. "He is a quality person with great passion for volleyball and for Baylor. As our recruiting coordinator, he is a terrific people person who can bring in the top recruits. He has a great knowledge of the game and communicates in a very effective way. His infectious attitude will help our players become their best and reach the top of the Big 12 in a short time."
The Bears are presently going through their first off-season workouts under Barnes and are tentatively scheduled to make their first appearance of the fall at the Green and Gold Scrimmage on Aug. 28.
