USA Deaf Volleyball

USA Deaf Volleyball was proud to co-host a high-level volleyball camp with Gold Medal Squared, an organization with over 25 years of experience developing athletes and coaches.

Campers learned from an incredible coaching staff, including Olympian David Smith, USA Deaf Volleyball’s Ben Campman and Kate Lindholm, and indoor women’s player Ella Gamble.

A special thank you to David Smith and volleyball🏐😍 for generously providing t-shirts and lanyards for all of our campers and coaches. Your support helped make this camp even more memorable!

Thank you to everyone who attended and made this weekend such a success. We look forward to seeing you at future USA Deaf Volleyball events!

🏐 USA Deaf Beach Volleyball Open Training Camp 🏐

USA Deaf Beach Volleyball will host an Open Training Camp on July 17–19, 2026 at Pepperdine University in Malibu, California.

📍 Pepperdine University
24255 Pacific Coast Hwy
Malibu, CA 90263
Specific beach volleyball court location will be shared at a later date.

Schedule:
Friday, July 17
• Open Training Session: 6:00 p.m.

Saturday, July 18
• Session 1: 8:00 a.m. – 10:30 a.m.
• Session 2: 12:30 p.m. – 2:30 p.m.
• Team Dinner Gathering: Approximately 5:00–6:00 p.m. (TBD)

Sunday, July 19
• Final Training Session: 8:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.

Interested in participating? Please contact Laurie Achin, USA Deaf Beach Volleyball Program Director, at [email protected].

Congratulations to Kate Lindholm on being named Assistant Coach of the USA Deaf Women’s National Volleyball Team! 

Kate has been playing and coaching volleyball for over a decade, bringing extensive experience at the collegiate, club, and youth levels. She began her collegiate coaching career at Bloomsburg University before serving as Assistant Coach at Lackawanna College and now leads the program as Head Volleyball Coach at Goucher College.

In addition to her collegiate coaching experience, Kate has coached with Gold Medal Squared since 2021 and continues to work with youth club athletes across multiple levels. She joined USA Deaf Volleyball as a Board Member in 2022 and now serves as Youth Program Coordinator while stepping into her new role with the Women’s National Team.

We are excited to welcome Kate to the coaching staff and look forward to the leadership, knowledge, and passion she will bring to USA Deaf Women’s Volleyball. 🇺🇸

Congratulations to Emma Giuntoli on being named Assistant Coach of the USA Deaf Women’s National Volleyball Team!

Emma has been involved in volleyball since the third grade and has developed a lifelong passion for the sport as both a player and coach. As a standout setter at Gallaudet University, she helped guide the Bison to two conference championships and two NCAA Tournament appearances while serving as a team captain for many years, developing the leadership skills that continue to shape her coaching philosophy today.

Emma has organized and directed numerous volleyball camps and clinics, working with athletes across a variety of age groups and skill levels. Her national team coaching experience includes serving as Assistant Coach for the USA Deaf Volleyball 18U Women’s National Team in 2022 and Head Coach of the USA Deaf Volleyball 16U Women’s National Team in 2024.

From 2023 to 2024, Emma served as Head Coach of the junior varsity volleyball team and Head Coach of the varsity boys volleyball team at Maryland School for the Deaf. She currently serves as Head Coach of the JV volleyball team and Assistant Coach for the varsity girls volleyball program at Texas School for the Deaf. In addition to coaching, she also serves as Public Relations Coordinator for USA Deaf Volleyball.

With a passion for athlete development, leadership, and building strong team culture, Emma is committed to helping Deaf athletes succeed at the highest levels of competition. We are excited to welcome her to the coaching staff and look forward to the impact she will make on the future of USA Deaf Women’s Volleyball. 🏐

Congratulations to CJ Upchurch on being named Assistant Coach of the USA Deaf Women’s National Volleyball Team! 

CJ currently serves as the head coach of the Texas School for the Deaf High School volleyball program and as an Athletics Specialist within the school’s athletics department, where he helps oversee athletic programs, events, and student-athlete development.

Upchurch is no stranger to USA Deaf Volleyball, having served in a variety of roles since 2019. He was team manager for the USA Deaf Women’s National Team that captured gold at the 2019 Pan American Games in Brazil and later served as Youth Program Assistant Coordinator and Board Member from 2022–2025, helping support the growth of Deaf volleyball across the country.

As a player, CJ represented the USA Deaf Men’s National Team, helping Team USA earn fourth-place finishes at both the 2024 World Deaf Volleyball Championships in Okinawa and the 2025 Deaflympics in Tokyo. A graduate of Gallaudet University, he also served as a student assistant coach with the women’s volleyball program from 2016–2021, helping guide the Bison to two conference championships and two NCAA Tournament appearances while organizing and directing numerous volleyball camps and clinics.

We are excited to welcome CJ to the coaching staff and look forward to the leadership, passion, and experience he will bring to USA Deaf Women’s Volleyball. 🇺🇸🏐

Congratulations to Pia Marie Paulone on being named Head Coach of the USA Deaf Women’s National Volleyball Team!

Pia Marie brings a lifetime of experience to the role as both a player and coach. Following a four-year career as a setter at Gallaudet University, she proudly represented Team USA in three Deaflympics and two World Championships, competing at the highest levels of international Deaf volleyball.

Her coaching experience includes serving as an assistant coach at Gallaudet University and the Texas School for the Deaf, working as Camp Coordinator for the Deaf Elite Volleyball Camp, and contributing as camp staff at numerous summer volleyball camps over the years. Through each role, she has demonstrated a deep commitment to athlete development and growing the game within the Deaf community.

With experience on both sides of the net and a lifelong dedication to Deaf volleyball, Pia Marie brings invaluable leadership, knowledge, and passion to Team USA. We are excited to welcome her into this leadership role and look forward to the impact she will make as USA Deaf Women’s Volleyball enters its next chapter. 🏐🇺🇸

In preparation for the next Deaflympic Cycle, is working hard to get the best Deaf athletes from around the country to fight for a gold medal.

See the link in the bio to submit the interest form.

If you have any questions about the beach program please contact [email protected] and if you have any questions about our indoor program please contact [email protected]. GO USA!!!

We are looking for a few more male athletes for our summer camp! Please use the new link in our bio to register a male athlete.

Thank you to everyone who has already registered. We are so excited!

Spots are filling quickly for USA Deaf Volleyball Camp! Secure your spot today using the link in our bio. Open to rising 8th-12th graders, girls and boys!