FORT MYERS, Fla.-After leading the Florida SouthWestern State Buccaneers to three straight NJCAA National Championship, the only Head Coach in FSW Volleyball history, Thais Baziquetto-Allen
, has resigned to take over the Head Coaching position at Florida Gulf Coast University.
Baziquetto-Allen led the Bucs to a 145-25 record over their first six years after beginning the program during the 2019 season. She led FSW to the NJCAA National Tournament in five straight years, finishing 8th in 2020 and 5th in 2021, while becoming the first NJCAA Division I program in history to win three straight NJCAA National Championships from 2022 to 2024.
"It has been an incredible honor to serve as the Head Coach at Florida SouthWestern State College for the past seven years" Baziquetto-Allen said. "I owe a great deal of thanks to George Sanders, Dr. Peel, and Dr. Allbritten for trusting in me and giving me the opportunity to set my vision for the program and providing the resources to be able to win a National Championship the past three years. But most of all, I want to thank all of the players and their families for believing in FSW Volleyball and all it means to be a Buccaneer. For each and every one of them, I will be forever grateful."
Baziquetto-Allen led FSW to as many Conference Championships (5) as conference losses in six seasons with a 65-5 mark in the Nation's toughest league. Behind Baziquetto-Allen's guidance FSW won FCSAA State Championships in 2022, 2023, and 2024, making them just the second program in the 50 year history of the tournament to do so.
It wasn't just wins and losses for the Bucs with Baziquetto-Allen at the helm though. The Bucs earned five straight AVCA Team Academic Awards and 32 players moved onto the next level including 25 to the NCAA Division I level.
"We knew we had hired the best Volleyball Coach in the country the first Fall when she got here" FSW Director of Athletics George Sanders said. "It was only a matter of time before others figured it out and came calling. This is a great opportunity for her to move to the Division I ranks and show them what we already know. The best part is that she has the chance to move up and still be a part of the program and relationships she has built at the College and in the community, so it's a win for Southwest Florida as a whole."
Baziquetto-Allen takes over an FGCU team coming off of four straight trips to the NCAA Tournament. The Eagles have been unmatched in the ASUN Conference since 2021, winning the Conference Championship in all four seasons and racking up 107 wins during the stretch.
She takes over the Eagles program after Matt Bottsford took the Head Coaching position at Central Florida after 11 years at FGCU. Under Bottsford's guidance the Eagles won 19 or more games in all 10 complete seasons while going 14-3 in the shortened Covid season.
"I am so excited to get on campus and get to work," Baziquetto-Allen said. "FGCU is a special place and is one of the top programs in the country, as proof from their year by year excellence. The expectations to continue winning ASUN Championships and competing in the NCAA Tournament while representing the Eagles in the classroom and the community will continue well into the future. I would like to thank Matt Ring, Colin Hargis, and Dr. Timur for giving me this incredible opportunity and I look forward to meeting Eagle Nation soon and all of the great FGCU fans soon!"
The Bucs will begin a nationwide search for their next Head Coach immediately.