Texas Border Business
RIO GRANDE VALLEY – VolleyballMag.com named The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV) volleyball assistant coach Vini Baigan an Under 40 Coaching Hotshot on Monday.
Baigan, who recently completed his fifth season at UTRGV, is one of just 14 assistant women’s volleyball coaches to be recognized among the top up-and-comers in the nation. He’s the only assistant coach in the Western Athletic Conference (WAC) and one of just two in the state of Texas to earn the honor.
Overall, 50 head and assistant coaches under the age of 40 working with women’s, beach and men’s teams at the NCAA Division I and Division II levels are on the list of hotshots. Baigan is one of just 19 coaches under the age of 32 to be honored. He’s also one of two in the WAC and one of three in the state of Texas.
Baigan has been instrumental in UTRGV’s success over the last five years, helping the team to win the 2016 WAC Tournament Championship and 2018 WAC Championship.
In 2014-15, he was honored as a member of the America Volleyball Coaches Association’s (AVCA) Thirty Under 30 list and named AVCA Midwest Region Assistant Coach of the Year after helping the Park University women’s team to a 40-0 record and the NAIA Championship. He also helped the Park men’s team to the 2014 NAIA Championship.
Originally from Osasco, Brazil, Baigan played for three seasons at Park, leading his team to the 2012 NAIA Championship as a team captain during his senior year. Baigan went on to play professionally for Zenith Volleyball in the Caribbean Volleyball League, hosted by Trinidad & Tobago. Baigan earned Best Libero honors while leading his team to the championship match.
