Quinnipiac women's volleyball standout Elena Giacomini excels on the court, in the classroom

A native of San Felice, Italy, Giacomini led the team in points (565), kills (486) and digs (366) en route to Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference Player of the Year honors and an honorable mention on the American Volleyball Coaches Association All-America team.

Of course, spikes are the result of skillful bumping and setting and positioning. Giacomini considers her personal accolades to be a reflection of team success, and said she would trade all that hardware for the one piece that eluded the Bobcats in 2024: a MAAC title.

“That’s the beauty of volleyball,” Giacomini said. “There’s nothing that can be achieved without everyone being 100% committed and connected with one another. The sport is about connection.”

Now in pursuit of her second advanced business degree — a master’s in applied AI and business analytics — Giacomini’s academic performance mirrors the drive and determination she brings to the court.

“I think the greatest testament to her success is that she’s really good and she doesn’t ever quit trying to get better,” said Kyle Robinson, the Bobcats’ seventh-year coach. “International students can be a little more polished as recruits, so as their coach you worry about what you can teach them. But [Elena] came in right away with an attitude of, ‘I want to learn, I want to get better, I want to be more than just what I am.’ She’s a great teammate. She doesn’t balk at anything. She’s just committed to the whole process of what it takes to win championships.”

Giacomini dreams of playing professionally in her home country and beyond, but the Bobcats’ four-set loss to top-seeded Fairfield in the MAAC final last November made the decision to come back an easy one.

“I'm kind of superstitious, but I also think that if you have a goal, you have to say it to make it real,” Giacomini said. “We came up just short of our goal last year. I want to win a championship.”

The reunion of player and program is especially gratifying for Robinson, who’s drawn upon a wealth of international playing and coaching experience to become the winningest coach in school history. 

“I think Quinnipiac is an amazing place to not only get an education and to live but also to do great things in sport,” Robinson said. “So it means the world to me when a player of [Elena’s] caliber wants to come back and stay committed to what we’re doing here.”