Rita Crockett

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Rita Crockett
Personal information
Full nameRita Louise Crockett (-Buck)
NicknameThe Rocket
NationalityAmerican
BornRita Louise Crockett
November 2, 1957 (1957-11-02) (age 66)
San Antonio, Texas, U.S.
Height5 ft 9 in (1.75 m)
Weight141 lb (64 kg)
Volleyball information
PositionOutside hitter
Number3
National team
1978–1984Flag of the United States.svg  United States
Medal record
Event1st2nd3rd
Olympic Games 010
Pan American Games 010
World Championship 001
Total021
Women’s volleyball
Representing Flag of the United States (23px).png  United States
Olympic rings.svg
Olympic Games
Silver medal icon (S initial).svg 1984 Los Angeles Team
World Championship
Bronze medal icon (B initial).svg 1982 Peru
Pan American Games
Silver medal icon (S initial).svg 1983 Caracas Team

Rita Louise Crockett (born November 2, 1957, in San Antonio, Texas) [1] is an American former volleyball player who played for the United States women's national volleyball team. Crockett was a silver medalist at the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles. [2] She also won a bronze medal at the 1982 FIVB World Championship and a silver medal at the 1983 Pan American Games. [2]

Contents

Though Crockett is only 5'9" (1.75 m), she was able to dunk a basketball on a 10' rim. This exceptional vertical jump gave her a competitive advantage against taller players on the volleyball court, and it was why she was given the nickname "The Rocket". [3]

In 2011, Crockett was inducted into the International Volleyball Hall of Fame. [3]

College

Crockett played college volleyball with the Houston Cougars, and was an AIAW All-American in 1977. [2]

Crockett was inducted into the University of Houston Athletics Hall of Honor in 2008. [4]

Club volleyball

Internationally, Crockett played in Japan, Switzerland, and Italy over 16 years. [2] She was a teammate of fellow Olympian Flo Hyman with Daiei in the Japanese V.League, and led her team to a championship title in 1986. [2] In 1991, she was MVP of the Italian Women's Volleyball League with Matera, and helped Rome win the European Club Championship in 1993. [2]

Beach volleyball

Between 1989 and 1994, Crockett played professional beach volleyball, winning $90,000 in prizes. [5] In 1989, she won the World Beach Volleyball Championship of the Women’s Professional Volleyball Association with Jackie Silva as her partner. [5] She was selected as the AVP Sportswoman of the Year in 1993 and 1994. [5]

Coaching

Crockett was the executive director, president, and head coach of the North Florida Volleyball Association, and is now the head coach of indoor and beach volleyball at Florida International University. [1] [6]

Crockett is known professionally by her married name, Rita Buck-Crockett. [1] [6]

Awards

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References

  1. 1 2 3 "Rita Crockett". Olympedia. Archived from the original on January 30, 2023. Retrieved January 30, 2023.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Rita Crockett". International Volleyball Hall of Fame . Archived from the original on June 5, 2023. Retrieved January 30, 2023.
  3. 1 2 Remillard, Jason (October 26, 2011). "Volleyball Hall of Fame inductee Rita Crockett shares her story with Dean Tech students". The Republican . Archived from the original on July 28, 2023. Retrieved July 28, 2023.
  4. ↑ "Rita Crockett". University of Houston Athletics. Archived from the original on August 30, 2023. Retrieved August 30, 2023.
  5. 1 2 3 "Rita Crockett Royster". Beach Volleyball Database . Archived from the original on March 26, 2023. Retrieved January 19, 2024.
  6. 1 2 "Rita Buck-Crockett" (PDF). American Volleyball Coaches Association . June 28, 2016. Archived from the original (PDF) on November 25, 2022.
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