Skip Navigation
UW La Crosse - Volleyball Camps
 

STAFF

 

Deb Sazama
Head Coach

Deb Sazama starts her first season as head volleyball coach at UW-La Crosse in 2023. She completed her first year an assistant coach in 2022.

Sazama worked in UWL's Exercise Sport Science Department since 2014, serving as Associate Chair starting July 2021. Her responsibilities included scheduling all courses in the department and each teaching responsibilities for each faculty and staff member. Sazama was the Director of the UWL Greater La Crosse Area Physical Education Program since September 2018 and Physical Education Teacher Education Program Director since August 2017. She was also the Director of the UWL Youth Sport and Fitness Camp.

Other teaching experience includes at Loras College (Iowa), Winona State University (Minn.), Defiance College (Ohio) and the University of Wyoming.

Sazama was the assistant women's volleyball coach at Winona State (Minn.) from 2003-06, assisting with all aspects of the Warriors' program. Prior to arriving at Winona State (Minn.), Sazama was the head women's volleyball coach at Defiance (Ohio) from 2000-03. The Yellow Jackets finished 23-8 overall and 5-2 in the Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference in 2002. Defiance (Ohio) set a school record for wins. The Yellow Jackets were 21-9 in 2001 as Sazama was named the conference coach of the year.

She has volleyball camp and club experience with the Xtreme Volleyball Club, UWL Elite Volleyball Camp, Winona (Minn.) Area Volleyball Club, Winona State (Minn.), Defiance (Ohio) and Northwest (Ohio) Volleyball Camps, Inc.

Sazama earned her bachelor's (1993) and master's (1997) of science degrees from the University of Wyoming. She earned her Doctor of Education Degree from the University of Northern Iowa in 2017. She competed in track & field at Wyoming, serving as team captain.

Athletic administration experience includes faculty athletic representative at Loras (Iowa) as well as assistant athletic director and senior women's administrator at Defiance (Ohio).


Victoria McCarty
Assistant Coach

Victoria McCarty starts her first season as assistant volleyball coach at UW-La Crosse in 2023. She also serves the athletic department as a Athletics Special Assistant.

McCarty comes to UWL after serving the last two seasons as a graduate assistant coach at Western Illinois University.

During McCarty's time at Western Illinois, the Leathernecks compiled a 9-30 overall record. While on court coaching during practices and games was a primary role, McCarty also helped oversee all team travel/meals, video exchange and recruit visits.

Off the court at Western Illinois, McCarty served the athletic department as an athletic academic advisor. In this role, she provided direct assistance in helping students develop an academic plan for success. She served on multiple committees including Title IX, Women in Leadership and the Student Athlete Advisory Committee.

Prior to joining the coaching world, McCarty had a four-year intercollegiate volleyball playing career that included two years (2019-20) at Quincy University (Ill.) and two years (2017-18) at Yavapai College (Ariz.). In her years at Quincy (Ill.), McCarty played in 32 matches where she was a defensive specialist. At Yavapi (Ariz.), McCarty played in 55 matches and recorded 756 digs and 83 assists.

McCarty earned her associates of arts from Yavapai College (Ariz.) (2019) and bachelors degree in psychology from Quincy University (Ill.) (2021). She then went on to Western Illinois University to earn her masters in Kinesiology sports psychology (2023).