ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - Eckerd College Director of Athletics Tom Ryan '87 has announced Jade Hayes Antolik as the Tritons' head beach volleyball coach.
"We're excited for this new position for the beach volleyball program," stated Director of Athletics Tom Ryan '87. "Jade has proven to be an effective leader for the past two years working with the beach and indoor teams. I look forward to seeing how she can grow the beach volleyball program under her new role."
Hayes Antolik has served as the assistant to the beach and indoor volleyball programs since January 2023.
"This is an extraordinary time for the sport of beach volleyball," stated Hayes Antolik. "Eckerd is a premier destination for the best and brightest student-athletes! I'm excited to continue building with the Eckerd Sandy Tritons on the beautiful Baker Beach Complex at this wonderful school right on the water! I am grateful to Athletic Director Tom Ryan, Director of Volleyball Michelle Piantadosi-Lima, and President Annarelli for believing in and contributing to the growth of our beach program."
While working with the beach program this year, Hayes Antolik guided the team to its most wins since the 2018 season. The top tandem of Madison Hardbarger and Anna Jupin posted nine wins in the top flight this year. In 2023, Eckerd won the Bronze A Pool at the AVCA Small College Championships.
Working with the indoor squad this season, Eckerd made back-to-back trips to the NCAA Tournament, producing an 11-match win streak while producing an All-American in outside hitter Stella Antypa.
Prior to her time at Eckerd, Hayes Antolik was the beach volleyball assistant coach at Tulane for the 2021-22 season, assisting the Green Wave to a 24-13 record, where she was selected to the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) Beach Thirty Under 30 award list in April.
Before Tulane, she served as the indoor volleyball assistant coach at the University of South Florida during the 2020 campaign. She spent the 2019-20 season at Missouri State as the assistant beach volleyball coach and 2017 at the University of Central Florida as the Director of Volleyball Operations.
As a player, Hayes Antolik spent two seasons at Missouri as a defensive specialist compiling 438 digs and 35 aces. She spent her final two seasons as the libero at the University of Central Florida, posting 1,012 digs and 36 aces. She spent the 2015 season playing beach volleyball at the University of South Carolina, where she compiled a 16-5 record in the No. 4 dual slot.
