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Steve Aird joined the Cincinnati coaching staff in the summer of 2005, after a successful stint as an assistant coach at Auburn University.
At Cincinnati, Aird has a hand in all areas of the program, including serving as the Bearcats[apos] recruiting coordinator. He will also be involved with the Bearcat camps, as well as scouting and player development.
Aird[apos]s first two years on the Bearcat staff have been successful, as he has aided UC in stretching its streak with 20 wins in a season to 12. He has worked closely the last two seasons with setter Noel Olson, coaching her to a second team All-BIG EAST accolade in 2006.
He has also made an impact on the Cincinnati club scene, serving as head coach of the Team Z 17[apos]s (2005) and 18[apos]s (2006), which annually ranks as one of the nation[apos]s top club teams. In 2005, Aird guided his squad to a third-place finish nationally, while leading the teams to a spot in Open Nationals both seasons.
During his career, Aird has spoken at various camps and clinics around the country. He was also the featured speaker at a clinic in Lithunania in Feb. 2006.
Aird spent three seasons at Auburn as a member of former Marquette coach Laura Farina[apos]s staff. At Auburn, Aird had responsibilities in all areas of the program, including budget, travel, training, recruiting and camps. During his tenure, the Tigers jumped from the 286th-ranked program nationally to as high as 77th in 2004.
Prior to his tenure at Auburn, Aird was an assistant at Davidson College in 2001. He also spent a year (2000) as a graduate assistant coach at his alma mater, Penn State, under legendary head coach Russ Rose.
As a player, the London, Ontario native was a two-time captain of the Nittany Lions men[apos]s team, helping the squad to three Final Four appearances. Aird also played with the Team Canada Volleyball Program, competing against national teams from across the globe. He earned a BA in sports management from Penn State in 2000.
The Steve Aird File
College: Penn State (BA in Letters, Arts and Sciences, 2000)
Year at Cincinnati: 2nd
Coaching experience: Penn State (2000), graduate assistant; Davidson (2001), assistant coach; Auburn (2002-04), assistant coach; Cincinnati (2005-present), assistant coach.
Playing experience: Penn State (1997-2000); Team Canada Volleyball (1995-97).