Colorado University Athletics
Kritza Dismissed As Colorado Volleyball Coach
December 03, 2015 | Volleyball
BOULDER – University of Colorado head volleyball coach Liz Kritza has been relieved of her duties immediately, athletic director Rick George announced Thursday afternoon.
“A determination has been made that we need to go in a different direction from a leadership standpoint,” George said. “We do appreciate what Liz Kritza has contributed to the program in raising our profile both nationally and in the Pac-12 Conference, but there are differences that have caused us to make a change in the program at this time.”
Colorado finished the 2015 season with a 19-13 record, including an 11-9 mark in the Pac-12 Conference, but was not invited to the NCAA tournament.
Associate head coach J.T. Wenger will serve as interim coach during the transition period until a new head coach is named; a search committee for the position will be formed shortly.
George met with the entire team after meeting with Kritza Thursday afternoon; both recruits that signed in last month's early signing period have also been informed. All scholarships for the 2016-17 season are currently filled.
In seven seasons as head coach, Kritza's teams compiled a 90-125 record, including a 41-101 mark in conference games (36-66 in five Pac-12 seasons and 5-35 in two years in the Big 12). She coached CU to two straight NCAA tournaments appearances (2013, 2014), each time advancing to the second round. In her last three seasons, the Buffs won at least 18 matches, including a 20-14 record in 2014, the school's first 20-win season since 2003.
Kritza turned around the program over the course of her seven seasons, taking the Buffs from a 1-21 record and last place finish in the Pac-12 in 2011, Colorado's first year in the conference (2011), to two straight seasons with 11-9 marks, finishing as high as fourth. The Buffs also earned their first AVCA ranking since 2005, reaching No. 18 at their peak in 2014. Colorado was 77-83 overall after joining the Pac-12.
Kritza was just the fourth head coach in the 30-year history of the CU volleyball program, which dates back to 1986. She followed Brad Saindon, the school's first coach, Mike McLean and Pi'i Aiu.
