Gallucci Takes Over PHS Volleyball, Following a Familiar Path

She is one of my all-time favorite players, and I couldn't be happier to see her take the reins.”

Katrina Cardinal

When you first hear it, hiring a 21-year-old to lead a high school volleyball program might seem surprising.

At Peninsula High School, though, it should sound familiar.

More than two decades ago, Katrina Cardinal stepped into the same role at the same age — young, untested, and full of belief in the program she would go on to shape for years. Now, as Cardinal steps away, a former Seahawk is following that same path.

Tommi Gallucci, a 2022 Peninsula graduate and former all-conference player, was named the school’s new head volleyball coach last month, a full-circle moment that feels less like a gamble and more like the next chapter.

Cardinal, who coached Gallucci for four years, doesn’t see the hire as a risk.

“I’m incredibly excited for her to begin her coaching journey,” Cardinal said. “She’s one of my all-time favorite players, and I couldn’t be happier to see her take the reins. I truly believe she is going to do great things for Peninsula volleyball.”

Cardinal leaves behind one of the program’s most successful runs. From 2017 to 2025, Peninsula compiled a 144-79 record under her leadership, capturing league titles in 2021 and 2022 and making four state appearances (2021, 2022, 2023, 2024).

The Seahawks finished second in the state in 2021, fifth in 2022, and in the top 12 in 2023. Cardinal also coached the program from 1998 to 2005 before taking a break to focus on her growing family.

Her resume includes multiple honors, including South Sound Conference Coach of the Year (2018, 2021, 2022), Washington State Coaches Association 3A Coach of the Year (2021, 2022), and the Frosty Westering Excellence in Coaching Award in 2024.

But for Cardinal, stepping away was less about volleyball and more about life.

With both of her children graduating, her husband recently retired, and a desire to spend more time with her mother, Cardinal said the timing felt right.

“I’m grateful for every season, every player, and every family that has been part of Peninsula volleyball,” she said. “It has meant so much to me and my family.”

The program now turns to one of its own.

Gallucci, who turned 22 in April, grew up around Peninsula athletics. Her family has deep roots at the school, and some of her earliest memories came on the sidelines watching siblings compete and absorbing the environment that would later shape her own career.

“I always knew that if there was a chance to come back and coach here, I wanted it,” she said.

Gallucci was part of one of the most successful teams in school history, helping lead the Seahawks to a state runner-up finish in 2021. That team, she said, was defined less by talent than by shared purpose.

“We came in every single day and did it for each other,” she said. “We had this goal, but it wasn’t just, ‘We’re going to win state.’ It was all the small goals along the way. We just worked together.”

That mindset, along with the familiar mantra of “Purdy grit,” is something she hopes to bring to the program.

After graduating, Gallucci continued her career at Bellevue College, where she transitioned from an outside hitter to a full-time libero role and quickly stood out. As a sophomore, she earned AVCA junior college All-American honors, was named All-North Region First Team, and helped lead the Bulldogs to a 28-5 record and an NWAC Elite Eight appearance.

After her playing career, she remained at Bellevue as an assistant coach for two seasons. She gained experience working with a high-level program and managing the demands placed on student-athletes.

“It taught me so much about how to coach, how to deal with different athletes, and how to be disciplined,” said Gallucci, who also coaches for Dakine Volleyball Club in Tacoma. “I learned almost everything I know from playing and coaching there.”

Her playing style, and now her coaching philosophy, centers on defense.

“I think defense wins games, wins championships,” she said. “If we can get the ball up, if we can block, we’re going to find a way to score.”

But just as important, she said, is the connection between coach and player.

“Support and trust bring out confidence in athletes,” she said. “When players know their coach believes in them, they play better.”

That approach has already resonated with those around the program.

“She is well known as a high-character athlete and a great teammate, who always made everyone else around her better,” Peninsula Athletic Director Ross Filkins said. “She is a great teacher, and her athletes will love playing for her.”

For Gallucci, the transition from player to coach has been immediate and, at times, surreal. Walking back into the Peninsula gym — the same one where she once competed — now carries a different meaning.

“I was over the moon,” she said. “I walked in and thought, ‘Wow, I’m back.’ I’m just really excited for what’s to come.”

Still, she understands what she’s stepping into.

“It’s not lost on me that I’m taking over for one of the greats,” Gallucci said. “I have so much respect for the foundation she built here. I just want to keep building it.”

That idea of building, not replacing, runs through everything she said.

In the short term, that means reconnecting with the community, increasing participation at Key Peninsula Middle School, and creating an environment where players want to be in the gym again.

Longer term, it’s about more than wins. “I want this program to be somewhere high school kids want to be,” she said. “Where they can grow on and off the court, learn discipline, learn life skills, and still compete at a high level.”

Cardinal sees that same balance in her former player.

“There are so many things I see in her that remind me of myself when I first started coaching,” she said. “A love of the game, a competitive mindset, and a deep love for Peninsula.”

It’s why, for Cardinal, this transition feels less like an ending and more like a continuation.

One moment still stands out to Cardinal — a photo taken late at night of the two embracing after the Seahawks’ loss in the 2021 state championship match. The gym was empty, the season over, the emotions fresh. Gallucci sent the photo to Cardinal later with a simple message: “Pure love.”

Years later, that same player is back in the same gym, carrying the same connection to the program — and the responsibility that comes with it. Gallucci is currently working toward her bachelor’s degree in special education and elementary education through Western Governors University and is expected to graduate next January, with hopes of eventually teaching in the district.

“She’s going to grow, flourish, and make Peninsula very proud,” Cardinal said. “She’s really something special.”

For Gallucci, the goal is just as clear.

“It’s a complete honor and privilege,” she said. “I love Peninsula. I love the game. I can’t wait.”