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University of Wisconsin La Crosse Athletics

Deb Sazama

Deb Sazama starts her fourth season as head volleyball coach at UW-La Crosse in 2026. Prior to being named head coach, she served as an assistant coach in 2022.

2025
  • Led the Eagles to a 21-12 overall record and 2-5 Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) Record.
  • The 21 wins was the most wins in a season since the Eagles won 22 in 2017 while the two WIAC wins were the first conference wins since 2022. 
  • Eagles qualified for the WIAC tournament and knocked off #3 seed UW-Platteville to advance to the conference semifinals for the first time since 2017. 
  • Helped coach Taylor Larson and Maddy Wilson to WIAC Honorable Mention All-Conference selections. Larson was also named to the WIAC All-Defensive Team. 
  • UWL defeated #23 University of Dubuque for the Eagle first win over a Top-25 opponent since September 22, 2021.
  • As a team, Eagles earned the American Volleyball Coaches Association Academic Award. Individually, Larson, Grace Nommensen and Kayla Sexton were named to the College Sports Communicators Academic All-District® Team.
2024
  • UWL finished 6-24 overall and 0-7 in the WIAC in Sazama's second season at the helm.
  • Helped coach Gabby Johnson to WIAC Honorable Mention All-Conference selection while Kayla Sexton was named to the All-WIAC Sportsmanship team. Johnson became just the 13th player in school history to surpass the 1,000 kill mark. 
  • As a team, Eagles earned the American Volleyball Coaches Association Academic Award. Individually, Paige Geiser, Grace Nommensen and Jackie Oetterer were named to the College Sports Communicators Academic All-District® Team. 
2023
  • In Sazama's first season, the Eagles went 16-15 overall and 0-7 in WIAC play. 
  • Helped coach Brianne Korducki and Anna Rossner to WIAC Honorable Mention All-Conference selections. With her 1,000th 
  • As a team, Eagles earned the American Volleyball Coaches Association Academic Award.
Additional Collegiate Coaching Experience
  • Served as assistant volleyball coach at Winona State Universtiy (Minn.) from 2003-06. 
  • Sazama was head volleyball coach at Defiance College (Ohio) from 2000-03. At Defiance, the Yellow Jackets went 51-41 including winning a school record 23 games in 2002. Sazama was named the Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference Coach of the Year in 2002. 
Teaching Experience
  • Prior to getting back into coaching, Sazama spent eight years teaching in UWL’s Exercise Sport Science Department including serving as the Associate Chair from 2021-2022.
  • Served as the Director of the UWL Greater La Crosse Area Physical Education Program from September 2018-August 2022.
  • Was the Director of the Physical Education Teacher Education Program from August 2017-August 2022.
  • Sazama also taught at Loras College (Iowa), Winona State University (Minn.), Defiance College (Ohio) and the University of Wyoming.
Athletic Administration Experience
  • Served as faculty athletic representative at Loras College (Iowa).
  • Assistant athletic director and senior women’s administrator at Defiance College (Ohio).
Education
  • Earned her bachelor’s degree (1993) and master’s of science (1997) degrees from the University of Wyoming.
  • Earned her Doctor of Education from the University of Northern Iowa (2017).
  • Was a member of the Wyoming & field team where she served as team captain. Â