Kellen Petrone - Volleyball Coach

Photo by: Alex Mowrey/Pitt Athletics

Kellen Petrone

Title:
Associate Head Coach/Recruiting Coordinator
Alma Mater:
Duquesne, '08
Email:
kpetrone@athletics.pitt.edu
Season at Pitt:
12th
Phone:
412-383-9078

Kellen Petrone was elevated to associate coach and recruiting coordinator for the University of Pittsburgh volleyball program in February of 2023 after spending the previous seven seasons as an assistant.

In Petrone’s nine seasons as assistant coach, the Panthers have reached the NCAA Tournament in as many years (2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024), marking the longest postseason streak in program history. Additionally, with Petrone on staff, Pitt earned its first six ACC Championships (2017, 2018, 2019, 2022, 2023, 2024), five consecutive Regional Final appearances (2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024) and four straight NCAA Final Four appearances (2021, 2022, 2023, 2024).

The 2023 recruiting class, spearheaded by Petrone, was ranked as high as No. 5 according to prepdig.com, the highest ranked recruiting class in program history and the first Top 5 ranked class ever recorded at Pitt. His prowess as a recruiter is known nation-wide putting together back-to-back Top 10 recruiting classes (No. 9 in 2022 and No. 5 in 2023) in program history.

University of Pittsburgh | Associate Head Coach/Recruiting Coordinator

2024

Led Pitt to become one of the nation's best defenses.
Pitt ranked third nationally in opponent hitting percentage (0.135) and eighth in blocks per set (2.81)
Coached libero Emmy Klika to become an All-ACC and AVCA East Coast Region Team member.
Helped guide Pitt to its fourth straight NCAA Women’s Division National Semifinal.
Clinched the outright ACC Championship, the fourth consecutive season in which Pitt has shared or won an outright title.
Pitt earned a spot in the NCAA Elite Eight for the fifth consecutive season.
The Panthers competed in the NCAA Tournament for the ninth consecutive season, marking the longest NCAA postseason streak in program history.
Pitt finished the season ranked No. 3 in the AVCA Coaches Poll, the highest in program history.
2024 marked the 11th consecutive season with Pitt ranked in the NCAA RPI Top 50, finishing at No. 3.

2023

Was named the AVCA National Assistant Coach of the Year for the first time in his career
Earned a spot on the Volleyball Magazine College Coaching Hotshots list
Guided the Pitt defense to top five finishes in three categories. Pitt's 2.97 blocks per set and 0.141 opponent hitting percentage was good for second nationally, and its 344 total blocks ranked fourth in the nation. Pitt’s blocks per set and total block numbers are the program’s most in a season during the 25-point rally scoring era (2008-present)
Helped Pitt to its third consecutive NCAA Women’s Division I Final Four, the third consecutive Final Four appearance.
Won a share of the 2023 ACC Championship for the second straight season, marking the program's fifth ACC title over the course of seven seasons.
Pitt earned a spot in the NCAA Elite Eight for the fourth consecutive season.
The Panthers competed in the NCAA Tournament for the eighth consecutive season, marking the longest NCAA postseason streak in program history.
Pitt finished the season ranked No. 4 in the AVCA Coaches Poll for the third season in a row.
2023 marked the 10th consecutive season with Pitt ranked in the NCAA RPI Top 50, finishing at No. 3.

2022

Helped return Pitt to the NCAA Women’s Division I Final Four, the second consecutive Final Four appearance.
Won a share of the 2022 ACC Championship, marking the programs fourth ACC title over the course of six seasons.
The Panthers appeared in the NCAA Elite Eight for the third consecutive season, one of four teams in the nation to do so.
Pitt defeated No. 1 seed Wisconsin in the Elite 8 at UW Field House, the first time Pitt had ever defeated a No. 1 seed and the first time any team had defeated the defending national champion in a true road match in the Elite 8.
Pitt competed in the NCAA Tournament for a seventh consecutive season, marking the longest NCAA postseason streak in program history. All seven seasons have come with Petrone on the coaching staff.
The Panthers ended the season ranked No. 4 in the AVCA Coaches Poll for the second season in a row, marking their highest final placement in program history.
Pitt earned the highest ranked wins in program history, defeating two teams ranked No. 2 in the AVCA Coaches' Poll, No. 2 Louisville (Oct. 23) and at No. 2 Wisconsin (Dec. 10).
2022 marked the ninth consecutive season with Pitt ranked in the NCAA RPI Top 50, finishing at No. 3.
Defeated five teams ranked in the Top 5 becoming the first coach in Pitt history to earn five Top 5 wins in a single season.

2021

Helped coach Pitt on the way to the university’s first NCAA Women’s Division I Final Four appearance, marking the Panthers’ longest NCAA Tournament run in program history
The Panthers appeared in the NCAA Elite Eight for the second consecutive season, one of five teams in the nation to do so in 2021
Pitt competed in the NCAA Tournament for a sixth consecutive season, marking the program’s longest NCAA postseason streak in program history
The Panthers ended the season ranked No. 4 in the AVCA Coaches Poll, marking their highest final placement in program history
2021 marked the eighth consecutive season with Pitt ranked in the NCAA RPI Top 50, finishing at No. 3. Pitt earned a No. 1 ranking in the RPI during the 2021 season, its highest in program history
Pitt earned its highest national seed ever in the NCAA Tournament at No. 3, hosting matches in Pittsburgh through the Regional Rounds
The Panthers led the NCAA with 1,671 total assists and ranked second with 1,792 total kills. Pitt’s kill count is the program’s most in a season during the 25-point rally scoring era (2008-present)

2020

Assisted Pitt en route to its first NCAA Tournament Elite Eight appearance for following the tournament’s biggest upset of No. 3 seed Minnesota in the Sweet Sixteen
Pitt competed in the NCAA Tournament for a fifth consecutive season
The Panthers ended the season ranked No. 8 in the AVCA Coaches Poll
2020 marked the seventh consecutive season with Pitt ranked in the NCAA RPI Top 50

2019

Helped guide the Panthers to their third consecutive ACC Volleyball Championship as well as their first undefeated ACC season (18-0)
Helped lead Pitt to the NCAA Tournament for the fourth consecutive season
Coached the Panthers en route to a No. 6 seeding for the NCAA Tournament and hosted the First and Second Rounds for the second consecutive year at Petersen Events Center
Pitt ended the season at No. 5 in the NCAA RPI and No. 11 in the AVCA Coaches Poll, marking the sixth consecutive season ranked in the Top 50
For the second consecutive year, helped the Panthers tie their highest single-season winning percentage in program history (.938), again earning their most wins since 1990 (30-2)
The 30-win season marked the Panthers’ sixth consecutive year with 20 victories or more
Coached setter Lexis Akeo en route to an outstanding rookie season where she was named ACC Freshman of the Week a program-record eight times and landed on the All-ACC Freshman Team and Second Team
Akeo ranked fourth in the ACC overall and second among all ACC freshmen with 10.46 assists per set

2018

Helped guide the Panthers to their first outright ACC Volleyball Championship in school history, marking the second consecutive title for the program
Helped lead Pitt to the NCAA Tournament for the third consecutive season
Coached the Panthers en route to a No. 12 seeding for the NCAA Tournament and hosted the First and Second Rounds for the first time in program history at Petersen Events Center
Pitt ended the season ranked in the NCAA RPI Top 10 for the first time in program history (seventh), marking the fifth consecutive season ranked in the Top 50
Helped guide the Panthers to their highest single-season winning percentage in program history (.938), earning their most wins since 1990 (30-2), as well as the team’s highest ACC season winning percentage in program history (.944, 17-1)
The 30-win season marked the Panthers’ fifth consecutive year with 20 victories or more
Setter Kamalani Akeo ended her four-year career with the third-most assists in school history (3,956)

2017

Part of the Panthers’ first ACC Championship in program history (co-Champions with Louisville)
Led Pitt back to the NCAA Tournament, marking the programs first consecutive appearances since 2003-04
Helped lead the Panthers to a 26-7 record – the team’s fourth consecutive 20-win season
Guided setter Kamalani Akeo to 10.75 assists per set, which was tied for first in the ACC
Akeo’s 1,258 assists on the season also ranked second in the ACC
Led Nika Markovic to a team-high 509 points on the season, which ranked fourth in the ACC
As a team, Pitt ranked first in the ACC in hitting percentage (.271), first in assists per set (13.54) and first in kills per set (14.50)

2016

Promoted to assistant coach/recruiting coordinator in April 2016
Helped lead the Panthers to their first NCAA tournament appearance in 12 years
Coached a Pitt team that won more than 20 games for the third consecutive season
Coordinated recruiting operations on local, national and international levels
Aided Kamalani Akeo in becoming ACC Setter of the Year
Akeo ranked seventh in the NCAA and first in the ACC in total assists (1,379)
Akeo averaged 10.92 assists per set, ranking her third in the ACC
Pitt ranked second in the ACC in hitting percentage (.255), second in assists, averaging 13.18 per set, and second in kills with 14.10 per set

University of Pittsburgh | Director of Operations | 2014-15

Controlled the day-to-day operations for the volleyball team, including serving as a liaison to athletic department officials
Coordinated the program’s summer camp schedule

StatEasy | Director of Volleyball Operations & Sales Strategist | 2013

Worked for the Pittsburgh start-up company that produced statistical software for high school and college sports teams

UNC Asheville | Assistant Coach | 2010-12

Helped lead UNC Asheville to a 19-12 record and third place finish in the Big South Conference
Advanced to the second round of the Big South Tournament in both 2011 and 2012

Robert Morris University | Interim Head Coach/Assistant Coach | 2009-10

Acted as an assistant coach in 2009 prior to taking over as interim head coach in 2010
Aided in the Colonials run to the semifinals of the NEC Tournament in 2009

Duquesne University | Assistant Coach | 2006-07

Acted as the assistant coach of the Duquesne women’s team while enrolled in undergrad at the University

Moon Area High School (PA) | Assistant Coach | 2007

Aided the Moon women’s squad in capturing the 2007 WPIAL Championship and reaching the state playoffs in his second year of coaching
Help the team finish the season ranked eighth in the state of Pennsylvania

Fox Chapel High School (PA) | Assistant Coach | 2006

Helped guide the Fox Chapel High School men’s team to the state finals and a WPIAL Championship in his first coaching position

Playing Career

Founded the Duquesne University men’s club volleyball team in 2004 in which he played on for four years
Led Pittsburgh Central Catholic High School to the WPIAL semifinals and was named to the 2004 All-WPIAL First Team

Education