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Cookie Stevens
Stevens is returning for her fourth season after an impressive
24-8 record, a 17-game win improvement from her first season,
which moved FIU from 299 to 88 in the RPI standings. It was also
the most wins for FIU since becoming a Division I program in
1987. Stevens' dedication and love of the game allowed her to
lead a young squad into accomplishing a long list of firsts.
Among them were the Golden Panthers first NCAA postseason game-becoming the first SBC team to advance to the second round-as well as defeating five SBC rivals for the first time. Yet, what best reveals Stevens' leadership is her team's performance in crunch time. FIU played to its best SBC record, an 8-5 regular season mark. Stevens then led her team in the conference championship finals past the predicted champion Western Kentucky for FIU's first-ever win over the Hilltoppers. "Last year was a testament of Cookie's ability to train student-athletes not only in the sport but also as it relates to daily life," athletic director Rick Mello said. "We were not the most talented team. Obviously, we played together and that goes back to [Stevens'] leadership and character. "Our goal is to be in the top 25 in the nation. It takes time to get there, [but] our schedule next year is not for wins and losses but to take the team to the next level." Winning the American Volleyball Coaches Association South Region Coach of the Year title, as well as being named the SBC Coach of the Year, Stevens' success parallels that of her players. Junior Nirvana Kos and sophomores Adriana Fundora and Jennifer Owens became the first FIU trio to be named to the SBC's All-Tournament team. Kos was the first Golden Panther ever to be named tournament's MVP. This rapid improvement has allowed Stevens to schedule a season filled with nationally-ranked teams, while attracting local and transfer players who add depth to a young team. Stevens has had her hands in program turnarounds at the junior college and high school levels. Her successes directly correlated with the type of individual she attracted to her programs. Stevens had 18 junior college All-Americans, four National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) National Tournament MVPs and three Academic All-Americans while winning eight consecutive state championships and two national titles at Miami-Dade CC Kendall. As head volleyball coach for both the boys and girls at Westminster Christian High School, Stevens guided the Warriors to two district championships and two Southern Conference crowns while advancing to the regional finals. Five of her student-athletes were selected to The Miami Herald's All-Miami-Dade first team, three to the second team and another to the third team. An eight-time Regional Coach of the Year selection, Stevens was twice honored as the NJCAAs National Coach of the Year (1986-89) and the 1988 American Volleyball Coaches Association Coach of the Year. These honors recognized the effort and dedication Stevens contributed to her programs while she recorded 540 total victories in 21 coaching seasons. As not only an expert of the game but also a student of it, Stevens has been an instructor at more than 10 camps across South Florida that have attracted hundreds of young volleyball players. She also attends numerous conventions, classes and seminars trying to keep abreast of the latest in successful volleyball strategies. The accolades kept coming in 2001 when Stevens was named as one of three state coaches to work with an elite under-17 girls' club team that competed for the USA Volleyball High Performance Cup in Colorado Springs. While she received her bachelor's degree in Liberal Arts from FIU in 1981 and in 1989, earned a master's degree in Physical Education from Nova Southeastern University, Stevens enjoyed an outstanding athletic playing career competing with the nationally-recognized San Diego State University volleyball program from 1977-79. In 1977, she was voted as the Aztecs' Most Valuable Player. This season, Stevens will coach against her alma mater when her Golden Panthers open the year at the SDSU Invitational. Stevens and her husband Peter have two children: Sam and Tyler,
both of whom have excelled in volleyball in their own rights.
Sam competes with the U.S. youth national 18-and-under team while
Tyler is a varsity starter on the boys' team at Westminster Christian. |
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Heather Foster
That year, she earned all-conference, all-region and all-state honors and also set the school record for career assists. She was selected to the Florida Community College Athletic Association and National Junior College Athletic Association's All-Academic teams. In 1995, she was chosen as Miami-Dade's Female Athlete of the Year. From there, Foster transferred to Nova Southeastern University where she was named first-team All-Sun Conference and all-region. After graduating with her bachelor's degree in Psychology in 1998, Foster became an assistant coach with the Knights' program, and before joining Stevens at FIU in 1999. "Heather brings a strong commitment to excellence," Stevens said. "She has outstanding leadership qualities. She led both vocally and by example when she played for me at Miami-Dade and has continued that role here at FIU, both on and off the court. "Heather always has compassion for the girls, but at the same time, knows how to get the most out of them." Foster, who has instructed at numerous camps and clinics around South Florida, spent time coaching for the South Florida Volleyball Club and at Miami Southridge High School. She and her husband, Joseph David, have one child.
Son Toby Jay was born February 22, 2002.
Linda Hampton
A native of Los Angeles, CA, Hampton began coaching at age 18, when she was named co-coach of the under-14 national team at the Gainesville (FL) Juniors Volleyball Club. Since then, Hampton moved up the ranks, heading the under-16 regional team as well as assisting the under-18 national team. "We're hoping with her experience at the high school, club and USA levels, she will bring in another tweak to complement our staff," Stevens said. Apart from her club experience, Hampton was the head volleyball coach at P.K. Yonge, the University of Florida's Developmental Research School from 1999 to 2001. There, she was in charge of two middle school teams, a junior varsity and varsity team. In her three seasons at P.K. Yonge, Hampton coached the high school team to three Final Fours, including the 2000 state championships. She was named the Dairy Farmers Class 2A state Coach of the Year. In the summer of 2000, Hampton was head coach for setter/hitter, skills, and team camps at the University of Texas. In the summer of 2001, Hampton coached at the USA Development and the High Performance Camps in Colorado Springs, CO. There she identified the nation's top youth, particularly at the 15-and-under age group. Hampton's main responsibility at FIU will be recruiting, although she will also help in on-court duties. With an Associate of Arts from Santa Fe Community College,
Hampton is currently pursuing a Bachelor's of Psychology at FIU. Women's Soccer | Softball | Women's Tennis | Volleyball | Athletic Directory | Campus Recreation | Home |
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ulcie
"Cookie" Stevens first arrived at FIU carrying
a bag filled with amateur youth titles after making a name for
herself in the volleyball community. And just three seasons as
the Golden Panther head coach, Stevens' bag became heavier with
the addition of a Sun Belt Conference championship, an NCAA appearance
and two Coach of the Year titles.
oining
Coach Cookie Stevens for her fourth season on the FIU
volleyball sidelines is assistant Heather Foster who brings
her vast sums of knowledge and experience to the Golden Panthers.
Foster and Stevens to back as far as the 1994-95 season when
Foster was a well-decorated student-athlete at Miami-Dade CC
Kendall.
eginning
her first year as assistant to head coach Cookie Stevens,
Linda Hampton brings experience from the youth, middle
and high school levels as well as time at the national level.