Kristen Wright announced Thursday morning that she is stepping down as head coach of the University of North Florida volleyball program after eight seasons, according to a UNF athletics press release and social media post.

“We extend our sincere gratitude to Coach Wright for her great leadership and unwavering commitment to the North Florida volleyball program,” athletic director Nick Morrow said.

In eight seasons at the helm, Wright became the first UNF head coach in Division One history to reach 100 career wins during a late-season victory in November 2024. Additionally, Wright finished 10 games over .500 in ASUN conference play, posting a 67-57 overall record.

“It’s hard to put into words what my time at the University of North Florida has meant to me,” Wright wrote in a letter on Instagram. “I want to take a moment to express my gratitude from the bottom of my heart.”

From 2018 to 2021, Wright coached both indoor and beach volleyball, securing a 70-56 record on the sand before Doug Wright took over.

This season, Wright missed multiple games for undisclosed reasons, starting on Oct. 17. She later returned to the sidelines on Oct. 30 for the Ospreys’ thrilling five-set ‘River City Rumble’ victory. After this, however, assistant coach Brandon Row filled in as acting head coach to close out the season.

This is the second UNF head coach to resign in 2025, after longtime men’s basketball head coach Matthew Driscoll stepped down to take an assistant coaching job at Kansas State University. 

A national search will be conducted to find the next head coach, per a UNF athletics news release.

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