Michael Brienza was the head coach for the Women's Volleyball at Post for 14 seasons before retiring in 2021. Brienza led the Eagles to back-to-back Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference (CACC) Championships in 2014 and 2015. He currently serves at the Softball Assistant Coach and Post's contest manager.
In 2014, Brienza was named CACC Coach of the Year guiding the Eagles to a 14-5 conference record, collecting 22 total wins, and winning the CACC Title for the first time in program history. Brienza also led his Eagles to their first ever NCAA tournament appearance. During his ten seasons in Waterbury, Brienza has led the Eagles to the CACC Tournament seven times.
In 2013, Post earned its first all-conference selelction since 2011 in Emily Wilman.
During the 2011 season, Brienza’s Eagles ranked third in the CACC in blocks per set (1.54), while Post garnered its first all-conference selection since 2008. Additionally, Brienza mentored Taylor Doyle to 3,000 career assists, a milestone reached by just two players in program history. He led the squad to eight wins on the season, including seven against conference foes. The Eagles went on a four-match win streak from Sept. 22-29, the program’s longest since 2008.
In 2008, Brienza improved upon Post's record from the year before and made its second consecutive CACC postseason appearance. During the season, the Eagles used a six-match win streak, its longest under Brienza, and best since a stretch of nine consecutive wins during the 2004 campaign. During the stretch, Post recorded sweeps of Felician, Chestnut Hill, Goldey-Beacom and St. Anslem. At the end of the season, outside hitter Kerry Smith was named Second Team All-CACC, after she led the conference in kills per game.
In his first season, Brienza guided the Eagles to a 9-24 overall mark and a berth in the CACC Tournament. Post advanced to the semifinals and was beaten by Georgian Court.
A decorated coach at the scholastic and club level, prior to coming to Post, he guided Jonathan Law High School to a 207-47 (.814) record in 12 seasons. Brienza was named Coach of the Year by both the Connecticut Post and New Haven Register in 1999 and 2003, and has also coached 14 First-Team All-State players, while 21 of his former high school players have gone on to play volleyball at the collegiate level.
Brienza led three of his teams at Law to the Class M State Volleyball Championship match, with the most recent trip coming in his final season. In addition, he guided his teams to three SWC Colonial Championships, a Southwest Conference Championship in 2003, three SCC Hammonesset Division Championships and a Southern Connecticut Conference Championship in 2006.
In addition, Brienza has a 410-95 (.811) record in 11 seasons as a travel team coach for the Connecticut Juniors Volleyball Club. He has guided his club teams to four U18 New England Regional Championships, including each of the last two seasons.
Prior to his stint as the head coach at Law, Brienza was a volunteer assistant at Fairfield University, under former Stag Head Coach Ed Bengermino.
