MIAMI – FIU Athletics will have a change in the leadership of the beach volleyball program, FIU Director of Athletics Scott Carr announced on Tuesday.
 
"I want to thank Coach Rita for her commitment and dedication to the FIU volleyball programs during her tenure," Carr said.  "Rita helped elevate our beach volleyball program from its inception and we are thankful to her for that.  We wish Rita and her family the best in their future endeavors."
 
Rita Buck-Crockett was named the inaugural head coach of the Panthers' beach volleyball program as well as the head coach of the indoor volleyball program in 2013. 
 
On the beach side, the Panthers earned their first NCAA Championship bid in 2018 after posting 23 wins and finishing the year ranked ninth overall in the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) poll.
 
In 2015, Buck-Crockett was honored as AVCA Sand Volleyball Coach of the Year and guided the beach squad to back-to-back AVCA National Championship appearances (2014, 2015) in the program's first three years of existence.
 
She closed out her FIU career with an overall record of 195-92 over 11 seasons at the helm of the beach volleyball program.
 
During her tenure, she also guided the indoor volleyball program to its first Conference USA Championship Finals appearance in 2018.
 
A national search for the Panthers' next beach volleyball head coach will begin immediately.
 
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