Women's Volleyball

Laser assistant volleyball coach Nick Castello heading home

Laser assistant volleyball coach Nick Castello heading home

Irvine Valley men's and women's volleyball head coach Ryan Windisch said he knew it would happen.

He was sure one of his top assistant coaches would be gone soon.

And it took place this past week with former Laser star player and current two-year assistant Nick Castello, accepting a full-time assistant coaching job with the indoor and beach women's programs at the University of Hawaii.

Castello is headed home where he grew up, has lived and also competed as a starting player for the UH men's volleyball team after a stellar two-year career in the same role for the Lasers in 2009-10.

Castello was the starting libero for the Rainbow Warriors volleyball team from 2011-12. He finished his UH career with 404 total digs (1.99/set).

"I want to wish Nick the best of luck with his new position," said Windisch, who is also a former IVC libero. "Everyone who knew Nick understood that it was only a matter of time until he got picked up by a big program.

"I was extremely thankful to have someone with his volleyball knowledge right next to me for the past two years and his contributions to the men's and women's programs will stay with IVC forever." 

Castello rejoins Robyn Ah Mow's coaching staff at Hawaii. He began his coaching career as a volunteer assistant with the Rainbow Wahine in 2017 and '18, Ah Mow's first two seasons as head coach.

And he can't wait to be a part of her staff and vision.

But he also credited Irvine Valley coaches Tom Pestolesi and Windisch for helping him improve as a coach. Pestolesi, a former star player with the Hawaii men's team in the early 1980's and volunteer assistant, retired in 2020 after 21 years of coaching at IVC.

"I will always have love for the Lasers," Castello said. "I went there to soak up as much as I could from Coach Pesto and I ended up scoring by getting to work under Ryan as well. I learned so much from both of them and am grateful for the opportunity I had to come back to IVC, coach volleyball and learn from those two guys."

But Hawaii was an opportunity he just couldn't pass up.

"Being from Hawaii you grow up hoping you can play for the home team, and if you get into coaching like I did, it's 'I hope I can coach for the home team,'" he said.

But Castello did a ton for Irvine Valley's programs and it won't be forgotten.

And it started when he arrived on campus in Irvine to play.

Castello was the starting libero for two seasons at Irvine Valley and was a member of the 2010 Pacific Coast Athletic Conference championship squad.

He was named the conference's player of the year in 2010 and the So. Cal. player of the year after averaging 4.03 digs per set. Castello was also selected first-team all-conference in 2009.

And Castello worked to help all three of the volleyball teams at Irvine Valley teams through difficult times the past 18 months.

This past spring, even under COVID restrictictions, Windisch, Castello and fellow assistant Rory Jones (another former IVC player) guided Irvine Valley's men's team to an Orange Empire Conference title over favorite Orange Coast in a four-set thriller in May.

"Love to every member of the Laser family," Castello said. "IVC is a special place and it is because of everyone there."

He officially got started at Hawaii earlier this week, helping Ah Mow and fellow assistant and yet, another former Irvine Valley libero and assistant coach Kaleo Baxter lead the Wahine into their first official practices for the 2021 season.

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