Florida Atlantic University Athletics
No. 15 Women's Beach Volleyball
- Title:
- Assistant Coach
- Email:
- ktekavec2013@fau.edu
Former Florida Atlantic University volleyball (2013-17) and beach volleyball (2019) student-athlete Kristi Tekavec joined the beach volleyball staff as an assistant coach in 2020.
Throughout her time on staff, she has been instrumental in transforming the beach volleyball program into a national contender, achieving three NCAA Championship appearances (2022, 2023, 2025), three Conference titles (2021, 2023, 2025), and a program-best No. 8 AVCA national ranking (2022).
The Sandy Owls had one of their winningest seasons in program history in 2025, capturing the 2025 CUSA Championship and earning the program’s third NCAA Championship appearance. The Sandy Owls finished the season tying for the second-most single-season wins in program history. One of the most decorated seasons in program history, the Sandy Owls earned numerous awards, including two AVCA All-American honors, CUSA Pair of the Year, four AVCA Top Flight honors, five CUSA All-Conference honors, two CUSA All-Freshman Team honors, CUSA Pair of the Tournament, and four CUSA All-Tournament team honors.
2023 also marked a tremendous season for FAU beach volleyball. Tekavec helped guide the Sandy Owls to their second conference championship, in addition to leading Florida Atlantic to its second NCAA Championship appearance. The Sandy Owls also earned CUSA Pair of the Year, CUSA Co-Freshman of the Year, four CUSA All-Conference First Team honors, and two CUSA All-Freshman Team honors.
In just her third season with the program in 2022, Tekavec was instrumental in helping lead the Sandy Owls to the best season in program history, recording a school-record 23 wins, culminating in the program’s first NCAA Championship Elite 8 appearance. Eighth-seed FAU defeated ninth-seed Stanford, 3-0, in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament to mark the Owls’ first win at nationals. The Owls ended the season with their best ranking in school history, slotting in at No. 8 in the AVCA and CBVB national polls.
With Tekavec’s help, the Sandy Owls have been recognized with numerous accolades, including four AVCA All-Americans (Erica Brok, Mackenzie Morris, Ashleigh Adams, and Marketa Svozilova), including Brok and Morris being tabbed as the program’s only two-time AVCA All-Americans, four AVCA Top Flight selections, three CUSA Pair of the Year accolades, 2 Conference USA Freshman of the Year honors, 16 First Team All-Conference honorees, 8 All-Freshman Team honorees, 2023 AVCA Team Academic Award, and 2 AVCA National Pair of the Week honors. Tekavec herself has been a two-time AVCA Thirty Under 30 Award recipient.
Tekavec is an active competitor on the professional beach volleyball tour and was a five-year player on the Owls’ indoor volleyball team and concluded her collegiate playing career as a member of the beach team. Tekavec graduated from Florida Atlantic, receiving her bachelor’s degree in Communications Studies and Sociology in 2017 and her master’s degree in Higher Education Leadership in 2020.
As a former student-athlete, she brings a deep commitment to holistic athlete development, championing academic excellence, mental and physical well-being, leadership, and service as the foundation of a strong team culture. At Florida Atlantic University, these values were central to both her experience as a player and as a coach. Her coaching philosophy focuses on creating an environment where athletes thrive—with joy, confidence, and a profound sense of purpose. Driven by a passion for mentorship, she is dedicated to developing athletes not only as competitors but as well-rounded individuals. Through intentional guidance and personalized growth strategies, her mission extends beyond building winning teams—she aims to create transformative experiences. Her vision is to cultivate elite student-athletes who are also future leaders, prepared to make a meaningful and lasting impact in the world.
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