Sand volleyball kicks off season in less than two weeks

Daniel Brey/contributing writer

With sand between their toes, a pair of sunglasses, and the first ever sand volleyball schedule now at hand, Head Coach Rita Buck-Crockett and the team have their eyes set on what Buck-Crockett feels is the first serve of many to come for the optimistic future of FIU sand volleyball.

“Our number one goal is to start a positive winning tradition here at FIU,” Buck-Crockett said. “The ultimate goal however, is to bring home a national championship.”

The inaugural season is set to begin on the road March 8 as Panthers take their talents to Los Angeles, Calif. in a duel against Grand Canyon University.

DSC_2684GCU, also digging into their first year of sand volleyball competition, is led by GCU indoor volleyball legend Head Coach Kris Naber.

“I am not familiar with the career Naber has had, however, I do hold a great deal of respect for all coaches in their first year of competition,” Buck-Crockett said. “Along with our program, these first year teams will surely help the [sand volleyball] game.”

On March 9, the Panthers will travel west to the white beaches of Malibu, Calif. to battle defending AVCA Collegiate Sand Volleyball National Champion, Pepperdine University, in what can only be described as a David versus Goliath match.

Pepperdine currently holds five players that stand six feet or taller, which is double that of FIU’s roster.
The question of whether the Panthers will be able to compete with Pepperdine is not a concern for Buck-Crockett.

“I feel we will be able to match-up with Pepperdine,” Buck-Crockett said. “We have some very athletic players who can cover a lot of ground which will make up the lack of height,” she said.

The road will not get any easier for FIU when they go against last year’s national runner-up, Long Beach State, on March 13.

“We want to play against the top teams,” Buck-Crockett said. “What better way of knowing where we are as a team than to compete with schools like Pepperdine, Long Beach State and Hawaii.”

FIU will continue their west coast trip when they travel to the Aloha State on March 15 to take on Hawaii.
On March 16, the Panthers will get a taste of tournament play when they face Hawaii, along with Chaminade and Hawaii Pacific, in the Hawaii tournament.

With just four full days of rest leading up to the tournament, fatigue will not play a factor for the Panthers, according to Buck-Crockett.

“Our training staff has done a marvelous job of keeping the team in shape,” Buck-Crockett said. “I do not think fatigue will play a factor in our performance during that stretch of the season.”

After the tournament, FIU will travel back to Miami to host Webber International University in what will be the first sand volleyball match ever played at FIU.

The match will be played on March 23 at 9 a.m. on the sand volleyball courts, located between the Panther Parking Garage and the  tennis courts at the Modesto Maidique Campus.

The Panthers will host the first annual Surf and Turf Tournament featuring some of the nation’s top teams such as Pepperdine, Tulane, Florida Atlantic, and Georgia State starting March 29 through March 31 on the sand volleyball courts.

All games played on March 30, however, will take place at a location yet to be determined.

The Panthers play their final home game on April 6 at 10 a.m. against Florida Gulf Coast, and will then travel to Siesta Key, Fla. to compete in the 2013 Fiesta on Siesta Key Tournament held from April 13-14.

A scrimmage against Stetson on April 27 will mark the final chapter in the historic inaugural season for FIU unless they qualify to compete at the 2013 AVCA Collegiate Sand Volleyball Championships in Gulf Shores, Ala., which begins on May 3.

Before the inaugural season kicks off however, Coach Buck-Crockett and the FIU sand volleyball team will host the first ever Blue & Gold Intrasquad Tournament on March 1 at 9 a.m. at the sand volleyball courts.

The tournament will feature the top five duo teams that will compete in the season opener at GCU, and a post-game autograph session.