Steve Santonastaso enters his tenth season at Rhode Island in 2014-15.

Santonastaso is a leader, a teacher, and an innovator. As associate head coach, he shares all the duties of running the volleyball program with head coach Bob Schneck, including recruiting, player development, floor coaching, travel, budget and academics.

"Steve is the most qualified candidate that I have hired as the top assistant since I've been here," said Schneck. "He brings a wealth of experience, has won national championships in junior Olympics, and had success at the high school level. Steve will really be able to contribute on the floor in teaching, which will help with the large group of newcomers we have this year. He's a teacher and that's what we need."

Elder assumes his first head coaching role after spending 11 years as either an assistant or an associate coach in some of the nation’s elite conferences.  In three coaching stops prior to Mercer, Elder has coached in the Pacific-12, the Southeastern Conference and the Southern Conference.

Most recently, Elder was an assistant at the College of Charleston in 2011.  At Charleston, he helped guide the Cougars to a 25-10 (14-2 SoCon) record and a runner-up finish in the 2011 SoCon Championship.

Before his stint in Charleston, Elder spent five seasons as the associate head coach at South Carolina.  His teams at South Carolina racked up 71 wins over that time, including posting a program-record 21 victories in 2002.

During his time at South Carolina, the school fielded its first competitive sand volleyball team.  Elder assumed responsibility of the sand program, instituting the first sand training program and first SEC sand camp before leading the team to the SEC Beach Championship title in 2009.

Elder got his start in Division I volleyball at Stanford, spending two seasons as a volunteer assistant coach with the Cardinal.  In his first season at Stanford, the team captured the 2004 NCAA Division I National Championship.

A 2002 graduate of Fresno State, Elder is currently pursuing a Master’s degree in Arts in Teaching from The Citadel.

DelSignore played men's club volleyball at Boston University from 2006-11. He was team captain and club president from 2009-11 and an All-League selection from 2008-11. DelSignore graduated from Boston University in 2010 with a degree in English, before graduating Summa Cum Laude with a master's in sports psychology in 2011.

A native of Narragansett, R.I., DelSignore was a two-time All-State honoree at Bishop Hendricken in Warwick, R.I. He helped Bishop Hendricken to state championships in 2005 and 2006, taking home tournament MVP honors in 2005 and making the all-tournament team in 2006. DelSignore has served as the head coach for the R.I. Blast Club 17-1 boys' and 18-3 girls' volleyball teams. He also was a R.I. Boys High School referee during 2011 and 2012. DelSignore currently attends Suffolk University Law School. In 2013, DelSignore was ranked in the top 15 in Volley America's National Rankings for grass doubles volleyball, winning five open level men's and co-ed tournaments.

• Orange County Volleyball Club (2010-Current) Head Coach Travel Team
• Lead Coach Summer Camps
• Lead Coach Non Travel Clinics Epic Volleyball Club (2003 – 2010)
• Head Coach Travel Teams Head Coach Fall Training Program Head Coach & Leader of Summer Camps Head Coach 12 & Under Program
• Entering 13th Season of coaching junior volleyball; Two years college coaching experience; 1st assistant coach Alliant International University, NAIA, GSAC Conference.
• Since 2003 Head Coach of 10 travel teams; full time assistant coach of 3 travel teams, 2 Championship matches at Volleyball Festival, Festival Champion in 2008, qualified 3 teams for Junior Olympics in Open level Division, winning the Far Western Junior National Qualifier this year in the 15 Open Division.
• Head Coach and Leader of Fall Training Program - A ten week program, preparing 8th Grade and under athletes for travel team tryouts.
• Head Coach and Leader of various Epic Summer Camps - Camps ranging from our first time athletes; to our most sophisticated summer camp training.
• Head Coach 12 and Under Program - A program on average of 40 athletes which is their first time experience of volleyball. Teaching all technique and system aspects of the game. Skill evaluating and placement of athletes into teams having them compete in locally held tournaments.
• USA Volleyball Impact Certified
• USAV, Collegiate, & High School Official. College Division 2 travel official, NAIA College Official, conference playoffs.