Janice Kruger Retires After 20 Years Leading Maryland Volleyball
1/29/2008 7:00:00 AM | Volleyball
Jan. 29, 2008
COLLEGE PARK, Md. - Janice Kruger, head coach of the University of Maryland volleyball team for the past 20 seasons, announced her retirement from coaching today. She will continue working for Maryland Athletics for the next year, serving as assistant to the athletic director and fundraising for the first-ever endowed scholarship for Maryland Volleyball, named in honor of her career contributions to the volleyball program.
"Ever since my playing days at the University of Nebraska, it has been my career goal to follow in my former coach's footsteps and create a volleyball program in which players, coaches and the entire university community can take great pride," Kruger said. "I have lived my dream for the past 30 years and cherish the time spent with so many fine student-athletes and committed athletic directors. I look forward to a new challenge within athletics. Working with Director of Athletics Deborah Yow to establish the first endowed scholarship for volleyball in my name will provide a wonderful opportunity for me to sustain what has been an incredibly rewarding relationship with the University of Maryland."
Kruger retires as the all-time winningest volleyball coach in Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) history with 381 victories. She led Maryland to five ACC titles, seven NCAA Tournament berths and was recognized four times as the ACC Coach of the Year and five times as the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) Region Coach of the Year.
"Janice has been a pioneer and a leader in women's volleyball. Her coaching legacy at Maryland will always be remembered and appreciated by Terps everywhere," Yow said. "We are privileged to have her continue at Maryland in this new, exciting role, which will benefit the volleyball program for years to come. Naming the endowment in her honor is a pleasure."
Maryland volleyball alumni and friends of the program can donate to the Coach Janice Kruger Endowed Scholarship by contacting Kruger at 301-314-7020 or jtkruger@umd.edu.
A national search for the new head coach will commence immediately, led by Senior Associate Director of Athletics Michael Lipitz. Felix Hou, Maryland volleyball assistant coach, will lead the program in the interim.
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