The volleyball season is in full swing and does not seem to stop for a moment! It is apparent that this sport has continently been offering nonstop actions with NCAA matches, pro league, LOVB, PVF, and the recent stepping-up to MLV. However, as the season is almost midway, it is not all about spikes and digs but a shake-up in coaching. A rather shocking twist in the pro volleyball season has seen a seasoned coach walk away from the game mid-tournament. No time to waste has led to getting an NCAA coaching veteran to take charge, and it is done at the right time.

League One Volleyball took to X on February 18 to drop some big coaching news. “Thank you, Marco Bonitta, for your hard work and dedication. You will always be part of the LOVB family,” they wrote, confirming that the head coach is stepping down due to personal reasons. The league made it clear that “the decision was made after thoughtful consideration, and we fully support his decision.”

While his time leading LOVB Austin is coming to an end, his contributions to the team and league won’t be forgotten. “LOVB would like to thank Coach Bonitta for his contributions to both the league and to LOVB Austin, and we wish him and his family the very best.”

But the squad isn’t wasting any time moving forward. The rest of the season’s coaching duties will be handled by none other than the NCAA veteran and the AVCA Coach of the Year, Chris McGown. The Volleyball league stated it, “NCAA veteran coach and a past AVCA Coach of the Year Chris McGown will assume the role of Interim Head Coach for the remainder of the season.”

Lincoln Arneal also weighed in on the change, reposting the announcement with his own update: “LOVB Austin is changing coaches as Marco Bonitta is stepping down. Former BYU men’s coach Chris McGown will take over for the rest of the season. Austin is 2-4, but finished third in the LOVB Classic last weekend.” Now, with a new leader at the helm, it’s time to see what Austin can do in the back half of the season!

Well, Marco Bonitta took his place in League One Volleyball with 34 years of experience and a championship-winning legacy. The man literally made history, becoming the first coach to guide Italy’s women’s national team to a World Championship title. But now, he’s stepping away, and is replaced by Chris McGown, another mentor with a lot of experience on the court.

He took the BYU Cougars to a 17-10 season in 2015 and consecutive MPSF regular-season and tournament championships in 2013 and 2014. We could safely assume that LOVB Austin just swapped one powerhouse for another. But wait a minute—Marco is not the only coach who is packing his bags in League One Volleyball! That’s right, the coaching carousel is spinning, and the plot thickens.

Another coach set to leave League One Volleyball!

The American pro volleyball has been on fire in 2025, with PVF maintaining the energy and LOVB as a new spark of the firework. Audiences have been enjoying spectacular shows week after week, but apparently, this is not enough to retain at least one volleyball coach. Yes, LOVB Houston’s head coach, Massimo Barbolini, is set to leave the league for a return to familiar stomping grounds.

Avid revealed the news in the social media platform X back in January that said, “LOVB Houston coach Massimo Barbolini has signed with Turkish team Galatasaray for next season.” It is a home-coming for the Italian tactician who was at the helm of affairs at Galatasaray between 2012 and 2015. Although his first stint with the Turkish team was not one for the fairytales, his volleyball coaching prowess was never in any sort of concern. After being part of Italy’s women’s national team that triumphing over the U.S. for gold in Paris, he became a sought after asset and landed at LOVB Houston to bring change.

And boy, did he deliver–three consecutive victories in the league’s first season made Houston a title favorite. However, the coaching merry-go-round continues to turn and Barbolini is returning to the club where he began his coaching career. Will his second time at the Galatasaray dressing room be more lucky than the first one, where he was close to achieving what he wanted? One thing’s for sure—the volleyball world is getting a serious shakeup.