Beach volleyball hires second head coach in program history

Carla Mendez | Staff Writer 

Terri Del Conte has been appointed as the new head coach of beach volleyball by Athletic Director Scott Carr this past week. She is the second head coach in the history of the program.

With her extensive experience coaching at Missouri State and UAB, Del Conte’s hiring provides the Panthers, a team fresh off an NCAA run, with a coach that has consistently delivered results. 

In her collegiate career, Del Conte guided Missouri State to the NCAA tournament in back-to-back seasons. She achieved a remarkable career-high of 36 digs, which stands as the fifth-highest single-match total in the school’s history.

A decorated athlete, Del Conte retired from the sand as team captain for the Bears and received an honorable mention as a Missouri Valley Conference Scholar-Athlete in 2008.

Del Conte ascended the ranks of Pro Beach Volleyball in her home state of California following her graduation in 2009. 

Her exceptional skill and performance made her a top-rated player for an impressive eight-year period, ultimately leading to her signing a coveted contract with the Association of Volleyball Professionals in 2016.

Del Conte then took up the head coaching job at Missouri State.

The Bears, under Del Conte’s coaching, achieved a historic 13-11 winning record – the first in their program’s history. 

Through the team’s first three seasons, she guided them through the transition into the Coastal Collegiate Sports Association and secured a significant victory over top-rated Tulane in 2021 in what became a defining moment for the team.

After her time with the Bears, Del Conte signed with the UAB Blazers in 2020, where she steered the team to record-setting bests. 

During her tenure, the Blazers were able to secure 18 victories and advance to the semifinals of the Conference USA tournament for the first time in their program’s history in 2023.

After bowing out of the NCAA tournament last season to No. 4 FSU, the Panthers look to return once again and make a deeper run under the new leadership of Del Conte.

Follow Carla Mendez on Twitter at @carladfmendez