LaRusso requested no further comment. With 42 seasons at the helm of the Darien girls volleyball program, LaRusso accumulated an impressive record, including 19 state championships, nine consecutive titles from 2001 to 2009, and 24 FCIAC titles. Her team’s performance in state finals was notable, with a 19-2 record, and her overall career winning percentage stood at .859. Seven of her players received the Connecticut Gatorade Player of the Year award… and three were named Connecticut Coaches Association Players of the Year.
LaRusso guided the Blue Wave to two perfect seasons, with no lost sets in 2007 and 2009, and the team remained unbeaten in its final two seasons, “including a 50-match winning streak.” LaRusso’s final match as head coach was a 3-0 sweep of Southington in the Class LL championship in November, “marking her 800th career victory.” Both Manfredonia and Schulz described LaRusso as an “iconic, legendary coach” who “set the standard” for the sport.
Her dedication to her program and her ability to attract quality athletes were exceptional… and her legacy is unlikely to be surpassed.
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In The News:
Laurie LaRusso, the career leader in coaching wins in Connecticut high school girls volleyball history, is stepping down at Darien.
The school posted it was seeking a new coach for the girls volleyball team via the CIAC website Wednesday morning, which was later confirmed by LaRusso and athletic director Chris Manfredonia. LaRusso did not have further comment.
LaRusso joined theDarien girls volleyball program in 1982. She led the Blue Wave for 42 seasons and amassed 19 state championships, including nine straight from 2001 to 2009, and 24 FCIAC titles. Her teams were 19-2 in state finals and her overall career record was 800-131, a winning percentage of .859.
Seven of her players earned Connecticut Gatorade Player of the Year honors, and another three were named Connecticut Coaches Association Players of the Year. She also coached the Blue Wave to two perfect seasons with no lost sets in 2007 and 2009, and Darien was unbeaten the last two seasons, with a 50-match winning streak.
LaRusso’s final match as girls volleyball coach was a 3-0 sweep of Southington in the Class LL championship in November. It marked the 800th victory over her career.
⁘She’s an iconic, legendary hall of fame coach,⁘ Manfredonia said. ⁘She’s all that and more. I can’t say enough great things about Laurie. She hated talking about herself. She always wanted the focus to be on the kids.⁘
⁘She set the standard,⁘ Schulz said. ⁘What she did with her program will never, ever be surpassed. She ran her program the right way and because of that she kept getting quality athletes coming in.
