The LOVB Houston volleyball staff is complete!
League One Volleyball announced Tuesday that Paula Weishoff and Stacie Johnson will join the LOVB Houston staff. Paula will serve as assistant coach, and Stacie will be the team’s Director of Volleyball Operations/Technical Director.
The two join head coach Massimo Barbolini in leading LOVB Houston during the inaugural LOVB Pro season.
A two-time Olympic medalist, Paula brings a plethora of experience as both an athlete and coach to LOVB Houston. The middle blocker helped the U.S. Women’s National Team claim its first-ever Olympic medal with silver in 1984 and she was named the tournament’s MVP as the U.S. took bronze in 1992. Paula played professionally for 14 years in Italy, Brazil and Japan and was enshrined into the International Volleyball Hall of Fame in 1997.
After retiring as an athlete, Paula returned to her alma mater, the University of Southern California, as a grad assistant. She worked her way up to assistant head coach with the Trojans, taking over as head recruiting coordinator and helping lead the squad to NCAA titles in 2002 and 2003. She’s spent the last 20 years as a collegiate head coach at both UC Irvine and Concordia University – Irvine, where she helped the Golden Eagles reach the NAIA championship match twice. She also was an assistant coach with the U.S. Women’s National Team, helping the U.S. claim silver in 2012.
"I am honored to join the LOVB family,” Paula said. “I look forward to working with the talented athletes and staff at League One Volleyball. Together, we will strive for excellence and are excited to create a competitive yet supportive league in the United States.”
As Director of Volleyball Operations (DOVO), Stacie will work directly with LOVB Houston Volleyball’s coaches, athletes and support staff to ensure the best experience for all. She will also work closely with Houston Skyline – LOVB Houston’s junior club affiliate – to facilitate clinics, instruction and other interactions between the pro and junior athletes.
Stacie brings more than 10 years of sports operations experience. She’s assumed operations, player relations, logistics, travel, and budget responsibilities with the XFL, University of Georgia, University of Cincinnati and other sports organizations throughout her career. A former volleyball player and longtime fan of the game, her favorite volleyball memory came when she won the New Jersey state title.
"I'm thrilled to join the LOVB family,” Stacie said. “From my first interaction with the LOVB team, it’s been clear how invested everyone is in wanting to bring exceptional professional volleyball to the US. I can’t wait to contribute to our mission and support our fantastic leadership team. We are going to do great things, and I’m ecstatic to be a part of this journey from the very beginning."
“Stacie brings multi-sport operational and professional league start-up expertise that we can all lean on,” Kelley Kish, LOVB’s Head of Pro Volleyball Operations said. “The constant throughout her sport operations career has always been uplifting athletes and their experience. I am excited to bring Stacie back to volleyball and know the athletes and coaches will all benefit from having Stacie be part of LOVB Houston.”
LOVB Houston will begin its inaugural season at home by hosting the first Weekend with LOVB, where four teams gather in one pro city for a trio of matches. LOVB Houston begins its 2025 campaign with an all-Texas matchup against LOVB Austin on January 9 and will face LOVB Omaha one day later. Training camp for all six LOVB Pro squads begins in November 2024.
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