MIAMI – The No. 10-ranked FIU beach volleyball team, coming off its first appearance in the NCAA Championships in 2018, begins its 2019 campaign this weekend at the Stetson University Spring Fling in DeLand, Florida, Feb. 22-23, at Stetson's Cooper Beach Courts.
Click here for Stetson Spring Fling Tournament Central
Click here for FIU-Saint Leo live stats (Feb. 22)
Click here for FIU-Eckerd live stats (Feb. 22)
Click here for FIU-Stetson live stats (Feb. 23)
Click here for FIU-Georgia State live stats (Feb. 23)
FIUSports.com had the opportunity to speak with Head Coach
Rita Buck-Crockett along with junior transfer
Ali Denney (Jupiter, Florida) about this weekend's event.
Click here for the complete interview.
The Panthers, ranked No. 10 in the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) preseason poll and No. 12 in the DiG Magazine preseason poll, take to the court on Feb. 22, at 10 a.m., to face Saint Leo during their first day in DeLand, before closing out the afternoon against Eckerd at 4 p.m. FIU will end the weekend on Saturday, Feb. 23, against No. 17 Stetson (10 a.m.) and then against No. 13 Georgia State (4 p.m.).
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.
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.
A LOOK AHEAD
Following this weekend's season-opening competition, the Panthers will head to the west coach for five duals, including four at the prestigious East Meets West Invitational in Manhattan Beach, California, March 9-10. The Panthers will begin play with a single dual against Concordia University, in Irvine, California, March 8, at 4 p.m. ET. After the meeting with the Eagles, FIU will take on four of the top five teams in the America Volleyball Coaches Association Preseason poll; USC (No. 2) and defending NCAA National Champion UCLA (No. 1) on March 9, and Hawaii (No. 5) and Pepperdine (No. 4) on March 10.
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