RYZER - Key Persons
Beth Van Fleet, a former beach volleyball professional and GSU standout, has served as head coach of the Georgia State beach volleyball program since the 2013-14 season. Van Fleet began her tenure at GSU as assistant coach for the inaugural beach team in 2012-13. As head coach for the Sandy Panthers, Van Fleet has been named CCSA / Sun Belt Conference Coach of the Year two times (2016 CCSA, 2023 SBC) and has guided GSU to eight consecutive 20+ win seasons with a total of four national tournament appearances. In Van Fleet's 10 seasons as head coach, the Sandy Panthers have finished with a winning record in every season.
2023 saw Van Fleet lead the Sandy Panthers to a second consecutive NCAA National Championship appearance after the team secured the Sun Belt Conference Beach Volleyball Championship in the league's inaugural season of play. The tournament bid marked a third trip to the NCAA Championship and the program's fourth overall national tournament appearance.
Under Van Fleet's guidance, three pairs earned All-Sun Belt recognition. Second-flight pair Yasmin Kuck and Lila Bordis and fourth-flight pair Maddy Delmonte and Ayla Johnson all earned All-Sun Belt Second-Team honors. The top-flight pair of Angel Ferary and Bella Ferary were named the Sun Belt Conference Pair of the Year, All-Sun Belt First-Team and earned a place on the AVCA All-America Second Team roster. Additionally, Bordis was also named the 2023 Sun Belt Newcomer of the Year, while Van Fleet received the conference's Coach of the Year. In addition to the conference accolades, Van Fleet helped three different Sandy Panthers pairs to earn a total of four Sun Belt Pair of the Week nods throughout the spring. The Sandy Panthers' head coach reached 200 career wins following the team's 5-0 shutout facing Arizona State on March 25. The milestone win and the team's 20-win finish places Van Fleet fourth in NCAA wins currently among active NCAA Beach coaches.
In 2022, Van Fleet led the Sandy Panthers to a program-best 28 wins as the team finished the year advancing to the Round of 6 at the NCAA National Championship in Gulf Shores, AL. The season saw Van Fleet coach three pairs to AVCA Top Flight honors- Yasmin Kuck paired with Kayla Whetstone at the third flight, Angel Ferary paired with sister Bella Ferary at the fourth flight and Chloee Kleespies paired with Becky Tresham at the fifth flight. All three pairs were also named to the Conference USA All-Tournament Team after the Sandy Panthers claimed the inaugural Conference USA Beach Volleyball Championship. The C-USA title marked the program's first-ever conference championship, and earned the team an automatic bid to the NCAA Championship. Leading GSU to 14 consecutive wins, Van Fleet and the 2022 Sandy Panthers' 14-match winning streak ranks as the longest in program history. Additionally, the 2022 roster combined for a 3.74 overall team GPA which was the highest for any team at GSU that spring. The historic season highlighted by the NCAA Tournament run charts as one of the most successful for any team in the athletic department's history.
During the 2021 season, Van Fleet's squad accumulated 23 wins after coming off a shortened 2020 campaign. A career benchmark, Van Fleet reached 150 wins on March 19, 2021 when GSU defeated Spring Hill. 2019 saw the Sandy Panthers post 24 total victories. In 2018, GSU tied a program record for regular season wins in a season with 22 dual match victories. The 2017 season was highlighted by Delaney Rohan and Chelsea Ross earning CCSA Pair of the Year Award honors, and a 21-win season for the Sandy Panthers.
In 2016, the Sandy Panthers earned 26 total wins as Van Fleet led the team to a No. 7 national ranking and a bid to the NCAA Tournament. The team featured four First Team All-CCSA members, top flight Jansen Button and Sara Olivova and second flight, Katelyn Rawls and Nina Interwies. Additionally, Brooke Weiner earned a spot on the CCSA All-Freshman Team. Button and Olivova were named AVCA All-American Honorable Mention.
In her second season, Van Fleet led the Sandy Panthers to their first appearance in the AVCA National Championship in May 2015 and coached two All-Americans in Jansen Button and Sara Olivova. The team reached as high as No. 7 in the AVCA poll before earning a No. 5 seed at the postseason tournament.
The Sandy Panthers finished with a 14-5 dual match record in Van Fleet's first season. Each of the five teams that defeated GSU were represented in the 2014 AVCA National Championship.