MIAMI – The No. 12-ranked FIU beach volleyball team, coming off its first trip to the NCAA Championships last May, is in full preseason mode and looking ahead to what hopes to be another banner season and its second-straight trip to the NCAA's in Gulf Shores, Alabama.   

Beach volleyball Head Coach Rita Buck-Crockett, along with Lina Bernier (San Juan, Puerto Rico) and Abbie Hughes (Mason, Ohio), took a moment following practice to talk about the state of the program as the Panthers move closer to their 2019 season-opening event at the Stetson University Spring Fling in DeLand, Florida, Feb. 22-23.

Click here for complete interview.
Click here for complete FIU beach volleyball schedule.
Click here to see complete DiG Magazine Preseason Poll.

FIU will open the season against Saint Leo (10 a.m.) and Eckerd (4 p.m.) on Feb. 22, before closing out the weekend on Feb. 23, against the host Hatters (10 a.m.) and Coastal Collegiate Sports Association (CCSA) foe Georgia State (4 p.m.).

The Panthers return 12 players that saw the postseason in 2018, including American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) All-Americans Federica Frasca (Rome, Italy) and Margherita Bianchin (Venice, Italy). The duo was also named to the CCSA All-Conference Team and to the CCSA All-Tournament Team, following the Panthers' appearance in the tournament semifinals.  

Last season, the Panthers posted a 23-12 record, and a 7-3 mark in Coastal Collegiate Sports Association play, advancing to their first-ever NCAA Championships in Gulf Shores, Alabama. FIU finished the year ranked No. 9 in the final AVCA poll, and No. 10 in the final DiG Magazine rankings.

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