Mansfield Adds Astor and Fonoti to Volleyball Coaching Staff
Jan 13, 2023 | Volleyball
MANHATTAN, Kan. – First-year Kansas State head coach Jason Mansfield announced the additions of Steve Astor and Fiona Fonoti to his coaching staff on Friday morning.
"Finding an excellent staff was very important to me. I couldn't be happier with the teachers and mentors I've found in Steve Astor and Fiona Nepo-Fonoti," said Mansfield. "Both have great character, the ability to teach the game at a high level and a passion to develop student-athletes, that will be at the center of what we do here at K-State. I believe coaching staffs should be a strong unit, and I'm so excited to go on this journey with Steve and Fiona and build this program together."
Steve Astor – Associate Head Coach
Astor brings over 20 years of coaching experience to Manhattan, spanning over various sports at the collegiate, high school, and club levels. The Vanguard University alum spent the last three seasons at Pepperdine as the assistant indoor women's volleyball coach and recruiting coordinator under head coach Scott Wong. He helped guide the Waves to three consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances with an overall 58-21 record for a .734 winning percentage.
"I want to first thank (Athletics Director) Gene Taylor and (Deputy AD/SWA) Jill Shields for welcoming me to the Wildcat family," Astor said. "I was blown away on my visit by the warmness of the community and the amazing town of Manhattan. I cannot wait to meet the players and invest into them.
"I cannot express how grateful I am for all of the special people at Pepperdine University, in particular Scott Wong for the opportunity he gave me and the incredible young women that I was blessed to coach there. Finally, I would be nowhere without my family, who I won the greatest lottery in life to be born into. EMAW!"
In 2020, Astor helped Madison Shields to become just the sixth player in program history to receive the West Coast Conference's top defensive award, earning WCC Libero of the Year accolades. Shields finished her career ranked in the Waves all-time Top 10 leaderboard in of four categories: career digs (9th, 1,152), single-season digs (5th, 457), single-season digs per set (6th, 4.31), and single-match digs (3rd, 34).
Prior to his time in Malibu, Astor coached as a volunteer assistant at the University of Washington alongside Mansfield as part of the Husky squad that reached the NCAA Elite Eight in 2019. His primary responsibilities were placed with coaching liberos and back row defense, while also serving as the in-game serve and pass coordinator. He also served a brief stint as a volunteer assistant for the UC Irvine men's squad.
Before making the jump to college, Astor most recently coached at the helm of the Corona del Mar High School where he led the program to an impressive 139-49 record, including six straight league championships from 2013-18. Before CDMHS, he was the head boys' varsity coach at Newport Harbor High School and an associate head coach for the boys' and girls' programs at Laguna Beach High School. The Laguna Beach boys won the 2010 CIF state title with Astor as interim Head Coach.
At the club level, Astor spent eight seasons coaching for the Balboa Bay Volleyball Club from 2011 to 2018, leading his squad to a pair of silver medal finishes at U.S. Junior Nationals in 2012 and 2014. He also served as an assistant men's coach for Orange Coast College from 2008-11, helping the team earn state runner-up finishes in 2008 and 2009, and semifinal finishes in 2010 and 2011.
Other Quotes on Steve Astor
"Coach Steve Astor is a tireless worker, knowledgeable coach, persistent teacher, and truly a wonderful person. With this hire, the Wildcats are off to a great start in pursuing excellence!" Scott Wong, Pepperdine Head Coach
Fiona Fonoti – Assistant Coach
Fonoti is no stranger to Big 12 volleyball as the former Nebraska All-American makes her way to K-State after serving as an assistant coach at West Virginia and Iowa State.
"I'd like to thank Gene Taylor, Jill Shields, and Jason Mansfield for this great opportunity to be a part of the K-State volleyball program," Fonoti said. "I am extremely excited to get started. Go 'Cats!"
In her three seasons at ISU, the Honolulu, Hawaii native worked with the defensive specialists and liberos. In 2021, Fonoti helped Marija Popovic claim Big 12 Libero of the Year accolades after she led the league in digs per set (4.56). Popovic also compiled First Team All-Big 12, AVCA All-Midwest Region First Team and Volleyball Magazine All-American honors.
Fonoti, formally Fiona Nepo, had a standout career as a setter at Nebraska where she was part of the Husker squad that made three trips to the NCAA Final Four, including the 1995 National Championship. During her four-year career with the Huskers, she became a three-time AVCA All-American and three-time All-Big 12 First Team honoree, receiving Big 12 Player of the Year recognition as well as a finalist for the NCAA Player of the Year and Honda Broderick Awards.
To this day, Fonoti remains the all-time leader in single-season assists (1,653) and single-match assists (63) while ranking only second to current Husker Nicklin Hames with 4,824 career assists.
Other Quotes on Fiona Fonoti
"Fiona is a very special person, and I am so happy for her, her family, and Kansas State Volleyball. Fiona has a unique way of connecting with student-athletes and everyone she comes in contact with. She will do a wonderful job for Coach Mansfield and the KSU program. Her experience as an All-American setter and exceptional student-athlete, along with her years as a high level collegiate assistant coach, will serve her well. She will have a great impact at Kansas State. " Christy Johnson-Lynch, Iowa State Head Coach and two-time Nebraska All-American
How to follow the 'Cats: Stay up to date on K-State volleyball online at www.kstatesports.com and on the team's social media channels on Twitter and Instagram.
"Finding an excellent staff was very important to me. I couldn't be happier with the teachers and mentors I've found in Steve Astor and Fiona Nepo-Fonoti," said Mansfield. "Both have great character, the ability to teach the game at a high level and a passion to develop student-athletes, that will be at the center of what we do here at K-State. I believe coaching staffs should be a strong unit, and I'm so excited to go on this journey with Steve and Fiona and build this program together."
Steve Astor – Associate Head Coach
Astor brings over 20 years of coaching experience to Manhattan, spanning over various sports at the collegiate, high school, and club levels. The Vanguard University alum spent the last three seasons at Pepperdine as the assistant indoor women's volleyball coach and recruiting coordinator under head coach Scott Wong. He helped guide the Waves to three consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances with an overall 58-21 record for a .734 winning percentage.
"I want to first thank (Athletics Director) Gene Taylor and (Deputy AD/SWA) Jill Shields for welcoming me to the Wildcat family," Astor said. "I was blown away on my visit by the warmness of the community and the amazing town of Manhattan. I cannot wait to meet the players and invest into them.
"I cannot express how grateful I am for all of the special people at Pepperdine University, in particular Scott Wong for the opportunity he gave me and the incredible young women that I was blessed to coach there. Finally, I would be nowhere without my family, who I won the greatest lottery in life to be born into. EMAW!"
In 2020, Astor helped Madison Shields to become just the sixth player in program history to receive the West Coast Conference's top defensive award, earning WCC Libero of the Year accolades. Shields finished her career ranked in the Waves all-time Top 10 leaderboard in of four categories: career digs (9th, 1,152), single-season digs (5th, 457), single-season digs per set (6th, 4.31), and single-match digs (3rd, 34).
Prior to his time in Malibu, Astor coached as a volunteer assistant at the University of Washington alongside Mansfield as part of the Husky squad that reached the NCAA Elite Eight in 2019. His primary responsibilities were placed with coaching liberos and back row defense, while also serving as the in-game serve and pass coordinator. He also served a brief stint as a volunteer assistant for the UC Irvine men's squad.
Before making the jump to college, Astor most recently coached at the helm of the Corona del Mar High School where he led the program to an impressive 139-49 record, including six straight league championships from 2013-18. Before CDMHS, he was the head boys' varsity coach at Newport Harbor High School and an associate head coach for the boys' and girls' programs at Laguna Beach High School. The Laguna Beach boys won the 2010 CIF state title with Astor as interim Head Coach.
At the club level, Astor spent eight seasons coaching for the Balboa Bay Volleyball Club from 2011 to 2018, leading his squad to a pair of silver medal finishes at U.S. Junior Nationals in 2012 and 2014. He also served as an assistant men's coach for Orange Coast College from 2008-11, helping the team earn state runner-up finishes in 2008 and 2009, and semifinal finishes in 2010 and 2011.
Other Quotes on Steve Astor
"Coach Steve Astor is a tireless worker, knowledgeable coach, persistent teacher, and truly a wonderful person. With this hire, the Wildcats are off to a great start in pursuing excellence!" Scott Wong, Pepperdine Head Coach
Fiona Fonoti – Assistant Coach
Fonoti is no stranger to Big 12 volleyball as the former Nebraska All-American makes her way to K-State after serving as an assistant coach at West Virginia and Iowa State.
"I'd like to thank Gene Taylor, Jill Shields, and Jason Mansfield for this great opportunity to be a part of the K-State volleyball program," Fonoti said. "I am extremely excited to get started. Go 'Cats!"
In her three seasons at ISU, the Honolulu, Hawaii native worked with the defensive specialists and liberos. In 2021, Fonoti helped Marija Popovic claim Big 12 Libero of the Year accolades after she led the league in digs per set (4.56). Popovic also compiled First Team All-Big 12, AVCA All-Midwest Region First Team and Volleyball Magazine All-American honors.
Fonoti, formally Fiona Nepo, had a standout career as a setter at Nebraska where she was part of the Husker squad that made three trips to the NCAA Final Four, including the 1995 National Championship. During her four-year career with the Huskers, she became a three-time AVCA All-American and three-time All-Big 12 First Team honoree, receiving Big 12 Player of the Year recognition as well as a finalist for the NCAA Player of the Year and Honda Broderick Awards.
To this day, Fonoti remains the all-time leader in single-season assists (1,653) and single-match assists (63) while ranking only second to current Husker Nicklin Hames with 4,824 career assists.
Other Quotes on Fiona Fonoti
"Fiona is a very special person, and I am so happy for her, her family, and Kansas State Volleyball. Fiona has a unique way of connecting with student-athletes and everyone she comes in contact with. She will do a wonderful job for Coach Mansfield and the KSU program. Her experience as an All-American setter and exceptional student-athlete, along with her years as a high level collegiate assistant coach, will serve her well. She will have a great impact at Kansas State. " Christy Johnson-Lynch, Iowa State Head Coach and two-time Nebraska All-American
How to follow the 'Cats: Stay up to date on K-State volleyball online at www.kstatesports.com and on the team's social media channels on Twitter and Instagram.
--www.k-statesports.com—
Kansas State University, the nation's first operational land-grant institution and a Carnegie Foundation Tier One university, is recognized as one of the nation's best colleges with world-class research and academic excellence located in America's No. 1 College Town (Manhattan, KS).
Kansas State University, the nation's first operational land-grant institution and a Carnegie Foundation Tier One university, is recognized as one of the nation's best colleges with world-class research and academic excellence located in America's No. 1 College Town (Manhattan, KS).
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