Fran Flory (born April 30, c. 1962) is an American retired head coach of the LSU Tigers women's indoor volleyball team[1] and former head coach of the LSU Tigers women's beach volleyball team.[2]

Fran Flory
Current position
TitleHead coach
TeamLSU
ConferenceSEC
Playing career
1980–1983University of Texas
Position(s)Outside Hitter
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
1986Wittenberg
1987Texas A&M (asst.)
1988–1991LSU (asst.)
1992Southeastern Louisiana
1993–1997Kentucky
1998–2021LSU
2014–2016LSU (beach)
2024-presentVegas Thrill
Accomplishments and honors
Championships
7 SEC Western Division Championships (2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011)
1 SEC Championship (2009)
Awards
AVCA Hall of Fame (2022)
SEC Coach of the Year (2009)
AVCA South Region Coach of the Year (2009)
Louisiana Coach of the Year (2001, 2005, 2006, 2009, 2010)

Coaching career

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Flory is the former women's volleyball head coach at the University of Kentucky, Southeastern Louisiana University and Wittenberg University.[1]

She is first in all-time SEC wins and all-time wins at LSU, ahead of her predecessor, Scott Luster, who won 308 games in 13 years. Her LSU teams have captured seven consecutive SEC Western Division championships (2005–2011) as well as the 2009 SEC championship.

Flory began her coaching career as head coach at Wittenberg University, where she coached for one season (posting a record of 11–21) in 1986. In 1987, she became an assistant coach at Texas A&M.

After one season at Texas A&M, Flory, a Baton Rouge, Louisiana native moved to LSU as an assistant for four years under head coach Scott Luster. She served as a graduate assistant coach in 1988, before being named a full-time assistant in 1989. During her four seasons as a member of the Lady Tigers (now Tigers) coaching staff, Flory helped LSU to unprecedented success with three SEC championships, three SEC Tournament championships and two NCAA Final Four appearances.

In 1992, Flory left LSU to assume the head coaching position at Southeastern Louisiana University. In her one season at Southeastern Louisiana, she led the Lady Lions to a 21–13 record. In March 1993, Flory returned to the SEC as she became an assistant coach at the University of Kentucky. Five months later, she was named the head coach as then-UK coach Kathy DeBoer was named an associate athletic director at the school.

In her first season at Kentucky in 1993, Flory led the Lady Kats to a 29–4 record, while advancing to the second round of the NCAA Tournament. For her efforts, she was named the 1993 Tachikara/AVCA Region IV Coach of the Year. In five seasons at UK, Flory compiled a 78–80 record with the Lady Kats/Wildcats (the nickname changed in 1995).

In 1998, Flory returned to Baton Rouge, Louisiana as head coach of the LSU women's indoor volleyball team.

When LSU established a varsity beach volleyball program starting in the 2013–2014 season, Flory also became head coach of that team. She remained the beach volleyball head coach until 2016, when Russell Brock was promoted from associate head coach to head coach and Flory focused on her duties as indoor women's head coach.

Flory is a member of the American Volleyball Coaches Association, Flory has also assisted in coordinating both the Louisiana Senior Olympic Games and the Special Olympics, and hosting the Senior Olympic Games in 2001. She is also a member of the United States Volleyball Association coaching accreditation program.

Flory was inducted into the American Volleyball Coaches Association Hall of Fame in 2022.[3]

In November 2023, the Vegas Thrill of the Pro Volleyball Federation named Flory as their inaugural head coach of the franchise. [4]

Playing career

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A 1984 graduate of the University of Texas, Flory has also experienced much success as a player. In 1981, she was a member of Texas' AIAW National Championship squad. She received All-Southwest Conference and All-South Region honors during three seasons with the Longhorns.

Collegiate head coaching record

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Indoor

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Statistics overview
Season Team Overall Conference Standing Postseason
Wittenberg (North Coast Athletic Conference) (1986–1986)
1986 Wittenberg 11–21
Wittenberg: 11–21
Southeastern Louisiana (Southland Conference) (1992–1992)
1992 Southeastern Louisiana 21–13
Southeastern Louisiana: 21–13
Kentucky (Southeastern Conference) (1993–1997)
1993 Kentucky 29–4 12–2 3rd NCAA 2nd Round
1994 Kentucky 13–21 8–6 3rd
1995 Kentucky 10–18 7–7 3rd (East)
1996 Kentucky 12–20 8–6 3rd (East)
1997 Kentucky 14–17 4–10 5th (East)
Kentucky: 78–80 39–31
LSU (Southeastern Conference) (1998–present)
1998 LSU 15–16 5–10 4th (West)
1999 LSU 17–15 7–8 3rd (West)
2000 LSU 15–17 6–9 3rd (West)
2001 LSU 16–11 10–5 2nd (West)
2002 LSU 17–11 9–7 2nd (West)
2003 LSU 11–19 6–10 3rd (West)
2004 LSU 17–12 8–8 3rd (West)
2005 LSU 21–8 11–5 T-1st (West) NCAA 1st Round
2006 LSU 26–6 16–4 1st (West) NCAA 1st Round
2007 LSU 25–8 15–5 1st (West) NCAA 2nd Round
2008 LSU 18–10 13–7 1st (West) NCAA 1st Round
2009 LSU 25–7 18–2 1st (West), SEC Champions NCAA 2nd Round
2010 LSU 25–5 16–4 1st (West) NCAA 1st Round
2011 LSU 19–11 12–8 1st (West)
2012 LSU 12–17 8–12 4th (West)
2013 LSU 19–13 8–10 9th NCAA 2nd Round
2014 LSU 20–9 14–4 3rd NCAA 2nd Round
2015 LSU 9–20 5–13 12th
2016 LSU 9–20 4–14 12th
2017 LSU 20–10 11–7 4th NCAA First Round
2018 LSU 12–17 7–11 T-7th
LSU: 368–262 206–168
Total: 478–376

      National champion         Postseason invitational champion  
      Conference regular season champion         Conference regular season and conference tournament champion
      Division regular season champion       Division regular season and conference tournament champion
      Conference tournament champion

Beach

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Statistics overview
Season Team Overall Conference Standing Postseason
LSU (Independent) (2013–2015)
2013–14 LSU 6–10
2014–15 LSU 14–9
LSU (Coastal Collegiate Sports Association) (2016–present)
2015–16 LSU 20–9
LSU: 40–28
Total: 40–28

      National champion         Postseason invitational champion  
      Conference regular season champion         Conference regular season and conference tournament champion
      Division regular season champion       Division regular season and conference tournament champion
      Conference tournament champion

References

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  1. ^ a b "Fran Flory". lsusports.net. Archived from the original on 2018-08-07. Retrieved 2010-04-01.
  2. ^ Schwehm, Andy (23 April 2010). "Volleyball has two Final Fours in 33 years". The Daily Reveille. Retrieved 2011-07-04.
  3. ^ "AVCA 2022 Hall of Fame Inductions". AVCA. Retrieved 2022-09-29.
  4. ^ "Vegas First Professional Volleyball Team Announces Official 2024 Schedule for Inaugural Season". Retrieved 2023-12-18.
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