The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
Iannone Names Niatha Cullen Assistant Beach Volleyball Coach
7/25/2017 10:04:00 AM | Women's Beach Volleyball
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – UAB head beach volleyball coach Kyra Iannone has announced the addition of Niatha Cullen to her staff as assistant coach.
A native of Chana, Illinois, Cullen comes to UAB after spending three years as a graduate assistant for indoor and beach volleyball at Stetson University.
"I am excited for such a young and passionate coach to be working with," Iannone said. "Her players respect her work ethic and I'm looking forward to having someone to build a program with and create a culture as a team. I think Niatha is a great role model for our Blazers and she's going to make an immediate impact on this program."
During her three years in Deland, Fla., Stetson emerged as one of the nation's top beach programs and was selected as one of eight participants in the first ever NCAA National Championship Tournament in 2016.
The Hatters won the Atlantic Sun Conference all three years Cullen was on staff and played to an overall record of 70-28 under her watch. Included in her accolades is helping Stetson's No. 1 team play to an overall record of 32-3 in 2016 and earn All-America accolades.
Cullen earned her undergraduate degree in exercise science from Jacksonville University where she played both indoor and beach volleyball. From 2010-12 she played both indoor and beach, but focused solely on beach for her final two years at JU.
She is currently finishing her masters of clinical mental health counseling at Stetson.
"I would like to thank Mark Ingram and Corey Bray for allowing me the opportunity to join the UAB family," Cullen said. "Kyra has welcomed me with open arms and I'm excited to learn from and collaborate with someone who has coached at such a high level for an extended period of time."
Iannone and Cullen inherit a team that only lost two players from last year's squad and returns its top five players in terms of wins from a season ago. The Blazers finished 12-19 overall in 2016.
A native of Chana, Illinois, Cullen comes to UAB after spending three years as a graduate assistant for indoor and beach volleyball at Stetson University.
"I am excited for such a young and passionate coach to be working with," Iannone said. "Her players respect her work ethic and I'm looking forward to having someone to build a program with and create a culture as a team. I think Niatha is a great role model for our Blazers and she's going to make an immediate impact on this program."
During her three years in Deland, Fla., Stetson emerged as one of the nation's top beach programs and was selected as one of eight participants in the first ever NCAA National Championship Tournament in 2016.
The Hatters won the Atlantic Sun Conference all three years Cullen was on staff and played to an overall record of 70-28 under her watch. Included in her accolades is helping Stetson's No. 1 team play to an overall record of 32-3 in 2016 and earn All-America accolades.
Cullen earned her undergraduate degree in exercise science from Jacksonville University where she played both indoor and beach volleyball. From 2010-12 she played both indoor and beach, but focused solely on beach for her final two years at JU.
She is currently finishing her masters of clinical mental health counseling at Stetson.
"I would like to thank Mark Ingram and Corey Bray for allowing me the opportunity to join the UAB family," Cullen said. "Kyra has welcomed me with open arms and I'm excited to learn from and collaborate with someone who has coached at such a high level for an extended period of time."
Iannone and Cullen inherit a team that only lost two players from last year's squad and returns its top five players in terms of wins from a season ago. The Blazers finished 12-19 overall in 2016.
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