On July 22nd PSC Athletics welcomed Pensacola native Patricia Gandolfo as the new head coach for the volleyball team. She will be fulfilling the position from Jennie Belarmino, the previous volleyball coach.

Patricia Gandolfo is coming from being the assistant volleyball coach at the University of West Florida and the University of South Alabama in Mobile. Also, coming from a background of being the marketing coordinator at UWF, recruitment coordinator for South Alabama, and a team captain for the Argonauts during 2008-2009.

The press conference started with Athletic Director Bryan Lewellyn and PSC president Dr. Edward Meadows introducing and congratulating Gandolfo for joining the PSC Athletic family.

“We are here to celebrate Patchi as she is known in the community,” said Lewellyn. “When we took the chance to meet in-person she fit in perfectly with the misfits we have on our coaching staff here.”

“We were very fortunate right in our own backyard, “said Dr. Meadows. “I can tell you right now that the new volleyball coach will help you become a better person and a volleyball player.”

During the conference, Gandolfo said her thanks for her goals for the Volleyball team this season.

“This is almost surreal. I think of this being a dream of mine being a head coach,” said Gandolfo. “I love the misfit family.”

One attendee asked Gandolfo about what she would bring from her time at UWF. She said, “ Culture. I think the base of a program is the culture and creating that good culture of yes you have to be competitive but you also have to be a good person and work extremely hard. That’s what’s going to create success here at Pensacola State.”

Also, the press asked questions about who encouraged Gandolfo to go into volleyball and what her goals are for this team. “ When I was super young, at the age of nine, I wanted to play tennis but my sister played volleyball and had a lot of friends. My mom was like okay go out and play some team sports,” Gandolfo said. 

“I think it’s one step at a time. I’m not going to promise a national championship today. At the end of the day my goal is to get that little big fat ring for the national championship. This year I want to go all out and win the conference.” 

Gandolfo has earned a bachelor’s degree in communication arts from UWF, a master’s degree in exercise science and community health, and an associate’s degree in general studies from Missouri State.