April 17, 2008

DAYTON, Ohio - University of Dayton head volleyball coach Kelly Sheffield announced the first member of his coaching staff on Thursday with the hiring of Kristin Fiorillo as an assistant coach. Fiorillo, a former player for Sheffield at Albany, comes to Dayton after one year in a similar position at SUNY New Paltz.

"I am very excited to have Kristin join the Dayton volleyball staff," Sheffield said. "She will be a great recruiter for this program. She has a relentless work-ethic, a tremendous passion for this game and for teaching, and has a wonderful personality and enthusiasm that I think our current student-athletes and recruits will really enjoy."

Fiorillo was the top assistant coach at NCAA Division III SUNY New Paltz during the 2007 season as she helped to guide the Hawks to a 27-12 overall record and an 8-2 mark in SUNYAC play. The squad advanced to the semifinals of their conference tournament on the strength of the SUNYAC East Division Player of the Year, one First Team selection and two Second Team picks.

"I am honored that the UD Division of Athletics and Coach Sheffield have given me this opportunity to work with the Flyer volleyball program," Fiorillo said. "I am thrilled to work with Coach Sheffield and a group of athletes who are as committed and driven to be the best as this team."

A former walk-on for Sheffield at Albany, Fiorillo became a team captain and the starting libero by her final season in 2006. She was selected by her teammates as the Most Improved Player on the team as a sophomore and finished her career seventh in program history in digs. The Great Danes won two America East Conference Championships and made a pair of NCAA Tournament appearances during her time on campus. Albany also was a three-time America East Regular Season Champion and compiled a 43-9 conference record over Fiorillo's four-year span on the team.

"Kristin was one of the hardest workers and best leaders of any player that I've had the opportunity to coach and I think she will be one of the bright young coaches in our game," Sheffield said. "I am excited to have her as a member of our staff."

Fiorillo is a native of Corning, New York and was the captain of the Corning West High School team that finished as the New York Class B State runner-up in 2002. She was also a First Team All-State selection as a senior.

A 2006 graduate from Albany with degrees in Psychology and Sociology, Fiorillo will relocate to Dayton shortly.

Dayton enjoyed its best season in modern program history in 2007 with a 33-2 overall record culminating with a trip to the second round of the NCAA Tournament. The Flyers were ranked in the CSTV/AVCA Top 25 Coaches Poll for the first time ever and reached as high as 12th in the Poll at one point. UD won its fourth straight Atlantic 10 Regular Season Championship and took home the Atlantic 10 Tournament Title for the fourth time in five years. The Flyers also hosted NCAA First and Second Round matches for the first time ever in front of sold-out crowds at Frericks Center.