Draper dismissed from USF volleyball

SPECIAL TO THE ORACLE/GOUSFBULLS

USF has made its second coaching change in a week, as Vice President of Athletics Michael Kelly announced Wednesday his decision to not renew the contract of volleyball coach Courtney Draper.

In her eight seasons in charge, Draper’s Bulls were 117-135 and 61-86 in conference play.

“I would like to thank Coach Draper for her eight years of service to our university and her contributions to our volleyball program,” Kelly said in a statement. “Courtney and her staff have worked hard and led our program with integrity on and off the court. However, I believe we can achieve greater success on the court and the time is right for a new direction and new leadership.

“USF volleyball has a bright future, and I am very optimistic that we can identify and secure a new head coach that our current student-athletes will embrace and thrive under, and that will recruit high character and top-performing volleyball players to our program.”

While the Bulls posted a 20-12 record and earned a bid to the National Invitational Volleyball Championship in 2018 — the program’s first postseason bid since 2002 — the 2019 season was anything but fruitful.

USF went 7-23 and 1-15 in the AAC, including 15 straight losses to end the season. During the 15-match losing streak, the Bulls only won a total of nine sets and fell in straight sets eight times.

While no information was released on the status of the rest of the coaching staff, none of Draper’s assistants remain on USF’s website.

No replacement was immediately named by Kelly.