Meet the Coach
Jaye Flood completed her third season as head coach of the Florida Gulf Coast University volleyball program. In three years at FGCU, she has compiled an 80-13 record and guided FGCU to three NCAA tournament berths.
FGCU had a tremendous 2006 season under Flood. The Eagles won a school-record 29 matches and had a 27-match winning streak on their way to a second consecutive trip to the NCAA South Region final. During their 27-match winning streak, the Eagles won 38 consecutive games, the third longest streak in NCAA Division II history. FGCU saw Brooke Youngquist named the Molton/AVCA player of the week after leading the Eagles to a road win over then #3 Florida Southern. Youngquist was later named DAKTRONICS South Region Player of the Year and was named Honorable mention All-American by the AVCA. She was joined on the AVCA All-American team by teammates Chandra Ginest, Ericka Fonseca and Whitney Hendry. Ginest was also named third team All-American by DAKTRONICS.
Flood, the only coach in the short history of the program, brought FGCU to elite status in NCAA Division II. The Eagles advanced to the NCAA Tournament in each of the three years they were eligible. Two times, FGCU advanced to the NCAA South Region final and won a match in the first year they competed in the tournament. The Eagles inaugural team became the first school to make the NCAA volleyball tournament in their first year of competition.
Not content with just an invitation, the Eagles proved they belong among the top programs in the country when the pulled the upset of the tournament with a 3-0 sweep of #9 Tampa in the first round. The Spartans, who were making their ninth consecutive appearance in the NCAA’s, were the first nationally ranked team beaten by the Eagles. FGCU lost to #8 North Florida 3-1 in the regional semifinals.
The Eagles followed up their successful first year by improving on a 24-6 record. FGCU completed the 2005 season with a 27-4 record that included a trip to the NCAA South Region final where they lost to 3-2 to Tampa. Ericka Fonseca and Whitney Hendry became first volleyball All-Americans at FGCU following the 2005 season.
Flood is a well-respected coach who has enjoyed success with college, high school, and development programs. Prior to joining the FGCU staff, Flood developed the Elite Volleyball Program and served as the director of USA South Volleyball. In 2003, she was honored with the USA Volleyball - Florida Region “Club of the Year” award. Flood also served as the Athletics Director at St. Ann School in Naples.
She spent three seasons as the head coach of Elmhurst College in Illinois, compiling a 96-34 mark from 1986-1988, winning three straight College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin championships. She was also named conference coach of the year all three seasons. All three teams were NCAA Division III tournament qualifiers, and her 1987 club advanced to the NCAA Division III National Championship final. Flood served as an assistant with Elmhurst in 1985, after serving as an assistant on the staffs at Central Michigan, Western Michigan and Drake. While at Elmhurst, she coached four All-Americans including the Player of the Year in 1987.
During her six seasons as a college coach, Flood has compiled a 176-47 record and taken each of her teams to the postseason. Under her guidance, players have been named All-American 12 times. Five times a player has been named Academic All-American. In addition, she has received three Coach of the Year awards and won three conference championships.
A native of Michigan, Flood was a four-year starter and co-captain at Central Michigan before graduating in 1979. She holds a Master of Arts degree in Exercise Science from CMU. She is a member of the American Volleyball Coaches Association, and currently resides in Naples.
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