Associate Head Coach AJ Bonetti is in his sixth season with the Seahawk volleyball program.
A former George Washington University graduate assistant, Bonetti was promoted to his current position by UNCW Head Coach Amy Bambenek last December after spending five seasons as an assistant coach on her staff.
During his time on Bambenek’s staff, Bonetti has made a profound impact in the growth of the Seahawks program. He played a key role in helping UNCW put together a highly-successful 2013 season that saw the squad win three in-season tournaments and post 20 victories for just the ninth time in the program’s 40-year history. He was also instrumental in helping three players - Christi Laite, Meredith Peacock and Nicole Lott – earn All-CAA honors, highlighted by First-Team All-CAA accolades for Laite.
In his first season in 2009, he helped the squad post its highest victory total since the 1996 campaign and its most CAA victories since the 2002 season.
The 2010 campaign saw the Seahawks post victories over in-state rivals Campbell, Elon and North Carolina A&T while three players earned All-Tournament Team honors a total of four times.
In 2011, the Seahawks posted its highest win total in league play since the 1988 season. In addition, sophomore Christi Laite was named Second-Team All-CAA, becoming the first UNCW player to earn such distinction since the 2003 season.
The 2012 season saw UNCW record double-digit wins for the third time in four seasons as the team posted victories over state foes Campbell, High Point and North Carolina Central as well as Colonial Athletic Association foes George Mason, James Madison and William & Mary. Laite earned Second-Team All-CAA recognition for the second consecutive season while Laite and three other players garnered All-Tournament Team recognition a total of six times during the
regular season.
Bonetti joined the Seahawks after spending the 2008 season as an assistant coach at Jamestown High School in Williamsburg, Va., where he helped the Eagles capture Bay River District regular season and tournament crowns and advance to the state quarterfinals with 25 victories. He was also instrumental in the development of three All-Region players, two All-State honorees and the Bay River District’s Player-of-the-Year. Bonetti also served as Head Coach of the Williamsburg Juniors 17’s that compete in the Old Dominion Region of the USA Junior Olympic Volleyball program.
Prior to his work at Jamestown, Bonetti spent two seasons at George Washington as a graduate assistant and volunteer assistant coach with the Colonials. He served as the team’s video coordinator and directed the strength and conditioning program, while also being involved with the setup and teardown of volleyball events, booster club receptions and alumni events. Bonetti also worked as an instructor at the Nike Volleyball Camps, hosted by the GW.
Bonetti has extensive experience with the USA Volleyball Men’s National Team, serving as a statistician during the team’s World League events in America in the summer of 2008. He also assisted in operational/facility management of all matches and worked as Director of Statistical Acquisition for the High Performance Championships in Tucson, Ariz., leading a team of eight individuals who acquired volleyball related statistical data at the event.
A native of Mechanicsburg, Pa., Bonetti earned his Bachelor’s Degree in Exercise Physiology from East Stroudsburg University, where he was a member of men’s volleyball program. He earned his Master’s Degree in Exercise Science from George Washington in 2008.
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