Annie DeLoid grew up in Plymouth, Mass., and came to Union from Stevens Institute of Technology where she was the program’s first full-time assistant volleyball coach. She helped the team reach the NCAA Sweet 16. She is a graduate of Framingham State University and received her Masters in Business Administration from Averett University in Danville, Va.
Annie DeLoid, head coach of the women’s volleyball team, on a recent trip to Costa Rica.
She is the head coach of the women’s volleyball team and lives in Rotterdam with her cat, Zoey.
FIRST APP YOU LOOK AT IN THE MORNING:
Other than my alarm clock, Instagram. I'm not proud of the fact that I am addicted to this app, but I find myself mindlessly scrolling on it in between recruit calls, practices and scouting.
GO-TO BREAKFAST:
It's no secret to my team that I am obsessed with iced coffee. It doesn't matter where it's from- I love Dunkin (Massachusetts born and raised!), Starbucks or any local coffee shops. I know iced coffee is not technically breakfast BUT it is consistent for me most mornings!
WHAT’S THE LAST GREAT BOOK YOU READ?
I'm not the biggest reader- it's something I would love to spend more time on. Any book I pick up tends to be something that is beneficial for my career, such as "Mind Gym" which sits on my shelf in my office. However, I did just start reading Matthew Perry's "Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing: A Memoir.” I have heard it is fantastic, and Matthew Perry was one of my favorite actors.
BEST ADVICE YOU EVER RECEIVED:
From my friend Brianna Barry, who was an assistant coach at George Washington University. “Always try to leave a program better than you found it.” This has stuck with me, and I am constantly working to improve something in each program I have been a part of. Every year and team will have its ups and downs, but I always want my athletes to know that I am here for them and I want them to feel like a better person and athlete after going through my program.
FAVORITE PLACE TO VISIT:
I have been lucky enough to travel a lot for volleyball, and I do have a trip coming up in June to coach a team in Costa Rica. I have been there before when I was a graduate assistant at Averett University, and it was such a fun experience. We went whitewater rafting, ziplining, and explored the city of San Jose. In June, I will be going back to some of the same areas I have been to- and I am beyond excited for it!
WHAT ARE YOU WATCHING RIGHT NOW:
I am on a big re-watching binge of a few shows. I don't really have time for TV until later at night, so I have been falling asleep to either "Friends," "Gossip Girl," "New Girl" or "Never Have I Ever.” All of those shows are such easy watches and I've seen most of them multiple times, especially “Friends.” I'm sure I have that whole series memorized.
ONE SKILL YOU WISH YOU HAD:
Cook. I find myself buying way too many easy Trader Joe's meals and don't necessarily challenge myself to make anything harder than pasta. It's something I need to work on- but for now I am just grateful for TJ's.
THREE DINNER PARTY GUESTS (living or deceased):
I'd love to have dinner with my mom and dad. My dad passed away when I was 7 years-old and I would want nothing more than to see all the love he had for my mom one last time. To have those two together for one dinner would be very special. If I had to add one person to this dinner, I'd include Paul Rudd, because who doesn't like Paul Rudd?
FIRST CONCERT:
This might show my age a little: the Jonas Brothers World Tour in 2009. My uncle was related to their manager, so he was able to score us front row tickets at TD Garden. The concert was phenomenal and it was incredible to be that close. They also had Jordin Sparks opening for them which was super exciting because my mom and I both loved her from her “American Idol” days. Since then, I've been to a ton of different concerts but I will never forget that first one!
LITTLE KNOWN FACT ABOUT YOU:
During COVID, my friend Matt and I started a podcast called “The Sideline” that is based on understanding the journey and backgrounds of volleyball coaches around the country. The podcast ran for over a year, we filmed 50+ episodes, and spoke to coaches at all different levels. It started as a small, fun idea and blossomed into something educational and exciting. I still have coaches come up to me at tournaments to talk about how great that podcast was. It was so fun to learn from so many coaches and to understand that everyone's journey to collegiate coaching is so different. Matt and I also spoke about different topics regarding coaching such as interviewing, mental health, etc. We both got pretty busy once our jobs went back to normal, so we haven't filmed an episode in a while- but who knows, maybe we will start it up again someday.