FIU Athletics

Paul Volero begins his first season with FIU football in 2016, serving as the Panthers’ defensive line coach after spending the previous three seasons as the outside linebackers coach at Washington State as well as last season aiding the FIU as a defensive quality control coach.
 
Prior to last year’s stint with FIU, Volero was the outside linebackers coach at Washington State (2012-2014) under Head Coach Mike Leach. In 2013 with the Cougars, he helped the defense force 30 turnovers, second-most in the Pac-12 Conference.
 
In 2012, Volero worked with senior All-Pac-12 honorable-mention honoree Travis Long, who led the team in sacks (9.5) and tackles for loss (13).
 
Prior to WSU, Volero spent two years in Key West, Fla., where he was the defensive coordinator at Key West High School.

Prior to that he spent three seasons as a member of the Central Michigan University coaching staff (2007-09). He joined the staff as the defensive line coach in 2007 through 2009 and served as special teams coordinator while continuing to work with the defensive tackles. During his time at CMU, the Chippewas had the No. 1 run defense for three-straight years in the MAC having lost only three games in that span.
 
Volero coached the entire defensive line during his first two seasons at CMU. In 2008, CMU's defensive linemen combined for 32 sacks, more than the team total of every other program in the Mid-American Conference and the third-most of any defensive line in the country. Three defensive linemen earned All-MAC accolades under Volero's watch.

Frank Zombo, who also earned academic all-conference and academic all-district honors, was an All-MAC first team selection after leading the conference in tackles for loss (15.5) and ranking second in sacks (nine) in 2008. Volero also worked directly with All-MAC third team selections Sean Murnane (2008) and Steven Friend (2007).

Antonio Brown was named Mid-American Conference Special Teams Player of the Year in 2009, while Murnane was an All-MAC third team selection for the second-straight season.

Volero spent the 2004-06 seasons as the special teams quality control coach and academic graduate assistant at West Virginia. He was a part of the staff that led the Mountaineers to Big East Conference championships in 2004 and 2005 and victories in the Sugar Bowl and Gator Bowl during his final two seasons.

In his role at WVU, Volero assisted with special teams breakdown and scheme implementation, along with monitoring the Mountaineers' production on special teams.

Volero began his coaching career at Glenville State College in West Virginia, coaching the defensive line during the 1996 season. Volero helped Glenville State to an NAIA national runner-up finish as a player in 1993.

Volero then served as the defensive coordinator at Miami Senior High School, North Miami Senior High School and Booker T. Washington High School from 1997-2002 before moving to the University of South Florida in 2003. He spent one season as the assistant strength coach and working with the defensive linemen at USF before assuming his post at West Virginia.

Volero played collegiately at both Arizona Western College and Glenville State. He earned his bachelor's degree from Nova Southeastern University in 2004 and his master's from West Virginia in 2006.

Volero and his wife, Nersa, have three children, son Henry, daughter Amy and stepson Andy Duarte.