Lisa Zielinski is in her 38th year as the Head Volleyball Coach and Dean of Students at St. Thomas Aquinas High School. Zielinski’s STA career record to date is 914-197 with a winning percentage of 82%. In 1990 Zielinski led the St. Thomas Aquinas volleyball team to their first District 5A title and has since won 32 District titles. Under Coach Zielinski the Raiders have won 17 Regional Championships and appeared in 20 Regional Finals.
The Raiders have made 17 State appearances and won the State Championship in 1995, 2004, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2018, 2023 and 2024. Coach Zielinski has been selected as the Dairy Farmers Florida 5A/8A Volleyball Coach of the year in 1995, 2004, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2023 and 2024. She was selected Volleyball Coach of the Year 1995, 1997,1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2004, 2007, 2008, 2012, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2023 and 2024 by the Sun Sentinel and the Miami Herald.
In 2004 Coach Zielinski was selected High School Female Coach of the Year by the Miami Herald and was selected by the American Volleyball Coaches Association as the Region 4 Coach of the Year in 2014. In 2002 and 2008, Coach Zielinski served as the Florida Athletic Coaches Association South All-Star Volleyball Coach. In 2017 Zielinski was selected to the Broward County Sports Hall of Fame and in 2023 was selected to the Florida Athletic Coaches Association Hall of Fame. Under St. Thomas Aquinas Coach Lisa Zielinski more than 80 players have gone on to play Collegiate volleyball at Universities such as Stanford, University of Florida, Wake Forest, Georgia Tech, Pepperdine, UCF, FAU, Clemson, Cornell, Rutgers, Tennessee and the Univ. of Tampa to name a few. Notably, she coached Foluke Akinradewo, a three-time member of the USA Volleyball team who won a bronze medal, a silver medal and a gold medal in 2020.
The St. Thomas Aquinas volleyball team came within just a few points of a third straight state title, falling 3–2 in a heart-stopping championship match. Though the final result stings, the Raiders’ season was nothing short of extraordinary — defined by dominance, unity, and relentless drive. Aquinas finished the year 27–5, capturing both district and…
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