Giedre Tarnauskaite joined the Seattle University volleyball staff as an assistant coach in April of 2019.
"Geidre brings a solid background to our volleyball staff," Head Coach James Finley said. “She was a strong player who has worked hard to develop her coaching knowledge, philosophy and character. She understands our culture, is eager to learn and will contribute to the growth of our athletes in their skill development, but also as individuals preparing for their futures. Geidre is a great addition to the university and our mission.”
Tarnauskaite is no stranger to the Pacific Northwest, having served two years as the lead assistant at Pacific (Ore.) University and one season as a volunteer assistant at the University of Portland. The Kaunas, Lithuania, native spent the past three seasons as an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator at the University of Montana.
Tarnauskaite, who competed as an outside hitter, left her home country in 2001 to play in the U.S. at Jefferson (Mo.) College. After two years she transferred to Arkansas State. She led the Red Wolves to 46 wins in two years, earning second-team All-Sun Belt honors in 2003 and Sun Belt Player of the Year accolades as a senior in 2004 after leading ASU to a share of the Sun Belt’s East Division championship. She was also named AVCA honorable mention all-region and academic all-district as a senior.
Tarnauskaite, who earned a degree in international business from Arkansas State in 2005, spent six years after graduation working in Fayetteville, Ark., as a legal assistant for a prosecutor and coaching in the Ozark Volleyball Club before moving to the Pacific Northwest to pursue coaching as a profession.
In addition to her college coaching experiences, she also worked for the Athena Volleyball Academy in Portland.
Tarnauskaite won multiple Lithuanian national championships with her junior club team and played for two years on the country’s junior national team. She was chosen at the age of 16 to play for Kaunas’s women’s club team, which gave her the opportunity to play at tournaments throughout Europe.
In 2000, she and Raimonda Strielkauskaite finished seventh at the European Junior Beach Volleyball Championships in Germany.