The inaugural season for FIU sand volleyball has turned more than just heads, it turned pages.
Last week’s AVCA Collegiate Sand Volleyball Championships in Gulf Shores, Ala concluded a season in what could surely serve as a thesis for what the future holds for this talented squad.
“We have a lot of potential and also a great future here at FIU,” Head Coach Rita Buck-Crockett said. “This season really set the tone for years to come, and hopefully will attract more sand volleyball fans and players.”
Regardless of a lacking fan base, spectator accommodations, and a roster consisting of mostly freshmen and sophomores, sand volleyball managed to have the most successful season amongst other FIU athletic programs in just their first year of existence.
The Panthers posted a solid record of 8-5, in which two of those wins, consisted of a tournament championship.
In addition, two stars were formed in juniors Jessica Mendoza and Maryna Samoday during a mid-season Big Bang for the Panthers, which led FIU to win 6 of their last 8 matches.
“It was important for [Mendoza] and Samoday to play well,” Buck-Crockett said. “They were the reason for a lot of our success.”
The pair led the team with an overall record of 22-5, went undefeated when competing at the number one spot, and reached the semifinals at the AVCA Championships all in their first year of competition.
What is even more impressive is the fact the duo defeated the usual number one pair’s team at FIU, in graduate student Kate Stepanova and junior Ksenia Sukhareva, during the Surf and Turf Tournament final.
“It was a great win for us,” Mendoza said. “Even though they are teammates, we still played extremely hard.”
“It tough to play against your own friends,” Samoday said. “But when it comes down to a final, we play each other like strangers.”
Stepanova receives All-American honors
Apart from now senior FIU women’s basketball player and two-time All American Jerica Coley, Stepanova is undoubtedly one of the best women’s athletes at FIU.
Stepanova, a transfer student from Florida State University, was the only player on the roster to have sand volleyball experience at the collegiate level before the start of the 2013 campaign.
Before the start of the inaugural season, Buck-Crockett and other teammates expressed just how important a piece Stepanova would play throughout the year.
“She is our leader,” Buck-Crockett said. “Stepanova has been there and done that.”
“Playing alongside Stepanova is incredible,” Samoday said. “I still can’t believe I get to play with her, it’s like a dream.”
Stepanova propelled the Panthers to become the eighth best team in the nation, while also becoming the first FIU sand volleyball All-American in school history.
Before the start of the inaugural season, Buck-Crockett and other teammates expressed just how important a piece Stepanova would play throughout the year.
“She is our leader,” Buck-Crockett said. “Stepanova has been there and done that.”
“Playing alongside Stepanova is incredible,” Samoday said. “I still can’t believe I get to play with her, it’s like a dream.”
Stepanova propelled the Panthers to become the eighth best team in the nation, while also becoming the first FIU sand volleyball All-American in school history.
Sand volleyball 2014 to make winning a routine
As the inaugural season closes and the off-season begins, Buck Crockett has some difficult decisions to make regarding next year’s duals teams positions.
Stepanova’s exist due to graduation will leave a void at the number one spot, meaning Buck-Crockett may need to break up this year’s most successful tandem in Samoday and Mendoza.
The Panthers however, do have a couple of options in Emily Podschweit and Tina Toghiyani if indeed one of the two players makes the move to number one.
Apart from this future coaching decision, there is no doubt FIU sand volleyball, led by Olympic silver-medalist Buck-Crockett, will have a chance to accomplish yet another winning season.
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