UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Steve Aird, a former Penn State men’s volleyball player and women’s volleyball Director of Operations, has been named the assistant coach for the Nittany Lion women’s volleyball program, head coach Russ Rose announced.
"I am very excited to be back on the Penn State staff," said Aird. "I have so much respect for Coach Rose and the program. I want to thank Coach Rose and the administration for the opportunity. I was lucky enough to be here at the start of the last great run and my goal is to help us get back there. Penn State is a special place and I am proud to call myself a Penn Stater."
Most recently, Aird served as President and CMO of Complete Athlete Inc. With Complete Athlete Inc. Aird’s duties included marketing, corporate expansion, coach and player development, scouting and match preparation. He expanded the TCA Volleyball Club from four cities to 12 in six months. During his four years with Complete Athlete Inc., Aird coached players who have gone on to play at several national powerhouses in collegiate volleyball including, Stanford, Washington, Florida, Tennessee and Penn State.
Aird was previously a part of the Penn State women’s volleyball staff for the 2007 season when the Nittany Lions won the first of a record four straight NCAA titles. Serving as the Direction of Operations and as an assistant coach, Aird’s role encompassed training student-athletes, making travel arrangements and directing summer camps. He was also involved in the recruitment and training of the student-athletes who went on to win the 2008, 2009 and 2010 NCAA National Championships.
"It’s great to have Steve return to the program," said Rose. "He made great contributions to this program when he was here in the past and I know he will do so again. I expect the players will respond well to his energy in the gym."
Prior to returning to Penn State, Aird also held assistant coaching positions at Cincinnati from 2005-2007 and at Auburn from 2002-2005. While with the Bearcats, Aird was the lead assistant coach and recruiting coordinator, and was integral in bringing in Cincinnati’s first ever top 10 recruiting class. He worked with student-athletes at every position who went on to earn all-conference and All-America accolades. At Auburn, Aird was involved also in student-athlete training, travel arrangements, marketing and recruiting. During his time with the Tigers, the team’s RPI jumped more than 200 points in three.
Joining the Penn State women’s volleyball staff is truly a homecoming for Aird as he was a four-year member of the Penn State men’s volleyball team from 1997-2001. He was a two-time captain and aided the Nittany Lions to three appearances in the NCAA National Semifinals. He graduated from Penn State in 2001 with a bachelor’s degree in Letters, Arts and Science with a focus on business law and sports management.
"It is great having Steve back ‘home’ in Rec Hall," said men’s volleyball head coach Mark Pavlik. "His coaching experience, ‘people’ personality and familiarity with Penn State will serve him and the Penn State women’s volleyball program very well. Everything that Steve has chosen to pursue has gone very well for him and I have no doubt that his addition to the Penn State women’s volleyball staff will being that success to everyone with whom he is involved!"
In addition to his coaching experience, Aird’s volleyball background is quite varied. He is a noted clinician, having spoken at hundreds of camps and clinics across the country. He has been on several international tours to train and recruit, most recently organizing a training tour in December 2011 to Italy with 50 prep players and top NCAA coaches, including coach Rose. Aird has also been a featured writer for Volleyball Magazine and the American Volleyball Coaches Association Magazine.
Aird is married to the former Brandy Wilson and they have an 18 month old daughter named Mackenzie Julia. They reside in State College.
