Volleyball

Alija Pittenger
	Title: Head Coach Email: apittenger@fairfield.edu Phone: 203-254-4000 ext. 2362 Class: Second Season

Alija Pittenger enters her second season as the head coach of the Fairfield University volleyball program.

During her first season at the helm, she guided the Stags to a 20-13 overall record, a Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) Regular Season Championship, and an apperance in the MAAC Championship Final.

Pittenger came to Fairfield after spending five seasons as an assistant coach at the University of Pittsburgh. During her stint with the Panthers, she helped guide them to a Big East title and to two-consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances. In 2006, she coached three Panthers to All-Big East honors in addition to a Big East Libero of the Year award and an AVCA All-America honoree.

Prior to Pitt, she spent 2002 at Southern Indiana, where she helped the Screaming Eagles to a conference title, a berth in the NCAA Division II Tournament, and a first round victory. Pittenger also was an undergraduate assistant coach at Michigan, her alma mater, in 2001.

As a collegiate player with the Wolverines, Pittenger was a four-time letterwinner as an outside hitter and setter. She helped Michigan to its first top-25 national ranking in 2000 and to three NCAA Championship Tournaments in 1997, 1999, and 2000. Pittenger finished her senior year as the team leader in digs and was second on the Wolverines in kills.

She graduated from Michigan in December 2001 with a bachelor's degree in movement science.