The LOVB Austin Volleyball staff Is complete!
League One Volleyball announced Tuesday that Stacy Sykora and Mo Fahmy will join the LOVB Austin staff. Stacy will serve as assistant coach, and Mo will be the team’s Director of Volleyball Operations/Technical Director.
The two join head coach Marco Bonitta in leading LOVB Austin during the inaugural LOVB Pro season.
Stacy is well-known in the U.S. volleyball community after serving as the U.S. Women’s National Team’s first-ever libero and leading the team to three Olympic Games, finally earning silver in 2008. She was named Best Passer at the 2000 Olympics, Best Defender in 2004, and also earned Best Libero and Best Defender honors as the U.S. reached the semifinals at the 2010 FIVB World Championships.
Stacy played professionally 2000-13, joining clubs in Italy, Spain, Russia and Brazil. She was a three-sport athlete at Texas A&M, earning two All-American honors as an outside hitter and winning the Southwest Conference’s heptathlon competition. She was inducted into both the Texas A&M and Texas Sports Hall of Fame, and she received USA Volleyball’s Medal of Honor in 2022.
Along the sideline, Stacy has served as assistant coach for USAV’s U19 and U21 National Teams.
"I am so excited for the opportunity to be part of the growth of volleyball in the United States of America,” Stacy said. “LOVB has the potential to become the premier volleyball league in the world. I’m all in."
“I have known Stacy for a very long time,” Marco said. “In 2000, I was head coach in Ravenna, and she had her first experience in Italy as a libero. Our path crossed again in 2002 in the World Championship final. I'm very happy to be with her in this exciting adventure because she is a beautiful person with a lot of passion for volleyball.”
As Director of Volleyball Operations (DOVO), Mo will work directly with LOVB Austin Volleyball’s coaches, athletes and support staff to ensure the best experience for all. He will also work closely with Roots and Silver Beach – LOVB Austin’s junior club affiliates – to facilitate clinics, instruction and other interactions between the pro and junior athletes.
Mo brings club, collegiate and pro coaching experience to LOVB Austin. At Mill City Volleyball Club in Massachusetts, he led the 18s squad to a national championship match appearance – the club’s first – and silver medal at the 2023 AAU National Championships. He also served as technical coordinator for all of the club’s national teams, leading scouting and game planning responsibilities. Collegiately, he’s coached at both Merrimack College and Villanova, and he’s also spent time coaching in Egypt, where he coached a U18 team and professional men’s team.
"I'm thrilled to join LOVB Austin,” Mo said. “Austin’s deep volleyball tradition and huge fanbase make it a great place to build this groundbreaking milestone for volleyball that celebrates and empowers athletes of all backgrounds. I’m looking forward to working with some of the world’s best athletes and staff to create a sustainable and competitive league that will inspire young women who aspire to become professional athletes."
“Mo’s experience spans our volleyball ecosystem with club, professional and international stints,” Kelley Kish, LOVB’s Head of Pro Volleyball Operations said. “We know Mo can balance the operational and technical responsibilities and work alongside the coaches and players at LOVB Austin on their path to success.”
LOVB Austin will play its inaugural match January 9, 2025, at LOVB Houston as part of the first Weekend with LOVB. and they face LOVB Madison – also in Houston – a day later. Training camp for all six LOVB Pro squads begins in November 2024.
