MIAMI (May 9, 2019) – The standout FIU beach volleyball duo of Federica Frasca (Rome, Italy) and Margherita Bianchin (Venice, Italy) was named beach volleyball All-Americans by the America Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA). The honor marks the second-straight year that the Panthers' tandem earned the award. The Italian pair joins Kate Stepanova, who was named AVCA All-American at the conclusion of the inaugural 2013 campaign, as the only FIU student-athletes to earn the honor in the program's seven-year history.

"I am extremely proud of Federica and Margherita, not only for representing FIU as two-time All-Americans, but also for how well they have led their team on and off the court," said FIU beach volleyball Head Coach Rita Buck-Crockett. "They truly deserve the All-American title given to the nation's top of the top in beach volleyball."

Frasca and Bianchin finished 2019 with an impressive 22-6 overall record, including a stellar 20-5 ledger on court one, and a 2-1 mark on court two. The duo, who ended the season ranked No. 6 in the nation at the number one position by Collegiatebeachvb.com, earned Coastal Collegiate Sports Association (CCSA) Pair of the Week and AVCA National Pair of the Week once each, and were selected to the CCSA All-Conference Team.

They closed 2019 winning seven of their last nine matches and 13 of their last 17 matches. All-time, as a pair, Frasca and Bianchin are 69-19 and 58-18 on the number one court.

FIU finished the season ranked No. 9 in the nation in the AVCA final Top 20 poll. The Panthers also advanced to the semifinal of the CCSA Tournament for the third-straight year.

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