Coaches
Joe Trinsey
Director & Head CoachJoe Trinsey has two decades of coaching experience, covering nearly every level of volleyball. In that time, Joe has become a household name in both men's and women's volleyball as a coach, clinician, writer, and speaker.
Joe grew up in the gym as the son of volleyball coaches. As he tells it, he graduated from ballboy to statboy and eventually to assistant coach -- coaching became a passion for Joe while still in high school. After an All-American career at Stevens Tech, Joe became a full-time volleyball coach and technical director of Brandywine Volleyball Club in Wilmington, DE. Joe coached both boys and girls, from U12 to U18. His early club highlights included 3 straight USAV Qualification bids and a U17 CHRVA Championship -- the first ever for a U17/18 team from Delaware.
From the club and high school ranks, Joe moved on to join the college coaching ranks -- at Loyola Maymount, University of Georgia, and BYU.
In 2013, Joe joined the staff of the USA Women's National Team. Being an assistant on the 2016 bronze-medal winning team at the Rio Olympics is a highlight of Joe's coaching career!
After the Rio Olympics, Joe remained with Team USA in their developmental pipeline, coaching U-23, College National Team, World University Games, and NORCECA Championship teams. Joe has also spent time on the professional women's side of the game. He's coached professionally in Korea, as well as with the Athletes Unlimited pro tournament series, where Joe is the winningest coach so far.
Joe has also spent time on the men's side of the game. After coaching at Pepperdine University and professionally in Germany, Joe joined the staff of the Canada Men's National Team and remained with them through the 2022 World Championships.
Joe has a background in beach volleyball, as well as indoors. He's coached professional players on both AVP and FIVB Qualification tours, as well as consulting with the LMU Beach Volleyball team since the inception of NCAA Volleyball -- including 2025 when the team reached the NCAA Championship match.
During this time, Joe has maintained his connection to grassroots volleyball. He's a sought-after clinician and member of the Gold Medal Squared Advisory Staff. He writes about volleyball on his SmarterVolley coaching newsletter and loves teaching the game to players of all levels.
Erin Trinsey
Director & Setting LeadErin was a four-year starter for Virginia Tech in the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC). As a setter, she left her mark on the Hokies’ record books as the All Time Career Assists Leader of the 25-point rally-scoring era. A two-year team captain, she earned ACC All-Freshman honors, multiple All-ACC Academic recognitions, and was part of the first team in program history to advance to the NCAA Championship Tournament. She was also named team MVP and Strength & Conditioning Athlete of the Year during her time in Blacksburg before graduating in 2012 with a Bachelor of Science in Psychology.
Following college, Erin continued her career abroad, competing in the Belgium Women’s Volleyball League. Over the course of two seasons, she was a two-year starter and captain, gaining valuable international playing experience at the professional level.
Her competitive career had begun years earlier at Allentown Central Catholic High School in Pennsylvania, where she helped lead her team to the state championship match in 2006 and to the AAA state title in 2007, earning tournament MVP honors. In recognition of her achievements, she was recently inducted into the Allentown Central Catholic Hall of Fame.
After retiring from professional play, Erin transitioned into leadership and support roles in the sport. She served as a High Performance Coordinator at USA Volleyball’s headquarters in Colorado Springs, including acting as the Delegation Leader for the U.S. team at the 2015 Youth World Championships in Lima, Peru. She later worked as a Tour Agent for Bring It Promotions, coordinating international tours for NCAA programs and professional teams.
Erin and her husband, Joe, and their daughter, Riley, reside in Wilmington, North Carolina.
Kris Lombardi
Beach DirectorCoach Lombardi began her volleyball journey in Orlando, Florida, graduating from Timber Creek High School, where she helped lead the indoor volleyball team to a state championship in 2008. Her contributions to the program were later recognized with an induction into the school’s Hall of Fame.
A standout on both indoor and beach courts, Lombardi competed in the Junior Beach Volleyball Olympic Games in 2008 and 2010, earning medals in both appearances. She went on to receive an athletic scholarship to play both indoor and beach volleyball at Florida International University, where she earned both her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Recreation and Sport Management.
During her senior season, Lombardi played across the 1 and 2 seeds on FIU’s beach volleyball team, helping the team secure a 3rd-place finish at the National Championships. After college, she continued her volleyball career on the professional AVP Tour, achieving a personal best finish of 13th place.
Following her time as a professional athlete, Lombardi transitioned into education, teaching special education while dedicating herself to coaching. With over 14 years of coaching experience, she is passionate about developing young athletes and fostering a love for the game. In 2021, Lombardi relocated to Wilmington with her husband Dante to continue their careers in special education while continuing their passion for coaching volleyball and football. Since then, they have established strong roots in the community and are now raising their two children, Nicoli and Luca.