Gators Welcome Two Additions to 2019 Staff
Tuesday, August 6, 2019 | Volleyball
OJ Catalan joins the staff as the Technical Coordinator, while Skylar Lopas will serve as the Volunteer Assistant Coach
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – The Florida volleyball program completed its 2019 coaching staff with two additions – OJ Catalan and Skylar Lopas.
Catalan will serve as the team's Technical Coordinator, while Skylar Lopas was named as the Volunteer Assistant Coach.
Both boast a plethora of Division I experience and will make a direct impact with the Gators this season.
Lopas comes to the Gators after a three-year stint as an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator at the University of North Florida. While with the Ospreys, he worked with the middle blockers. During the 2016 and 2017 seasons, the team led the ASUN in total blocks.
Under his tutelage, four Ospreys earned All-Conference honors and one player was named ASUN Freshman of the Year.
Prior to UNF, Lopas served as the volunteer assistant coach at the University of Michigan. His duties included working with the middle blockers, as well as breaking down opponents and scouting reports.
He helped the Wolverines improve their RPI by 17 points and boost their win total by seven. During his 2015 campaign with the Wolverines he coached AVCA second team All-American Abby Cole and helped lead the Wolverines to an NCAA tournament appearance which included regular season wins over three top 20 schools, including at #4 Penn State.
Catalan was previously with LIU Brooklyn for five years, where he served as both assistant coach and recruiting coordinator. His main duties were to head both international and domestic recruiting, assist with day-to-day practice planning, video exchange, breakdown of opponents and scouting reports. He would also organize team travel and meals.
LIU Brooklyn made the NCAA Tournament three of the five seasons that Catalan was a member of the staff. During his tenure, the Blackbirds won four regular season NEC championships and three NEC Tournament championships. Under Catalan's tutelage, the Blackbirds earned 12 First Team All-Conference selections and six Second Team All-Conference selections.
Before arriving at LIU Brooklyn, Catalan served as a volunteer assistant coach at the University of Oklahoma during the 2012-13 seasons. His primary duties were assisting with day-to-day practice planning, video exchange, breakdown of opponents and scouting reports.
During his time at Oklahoma, the Sooners went 46-19 overall, including a 2013 squad that went 24-8 and finishing the season tied for third in the Big 12. Both seasons Catalan worked under head coach Santiago Restrepo, the team advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament.
Both Lopas and Catalan have coached at the club level as well during their careers.
The Gators kick off the 2019 season on August 30 at Louisville in the Cardinal Classic.
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Catalan will serve as the team's Technical Coordinator, while Skylar Lopas was named as the Volunteer Assistant Coach.
Both boast a plethora of Division I experience and will make a direct impact with the Gators this season.
Lopas comes to the Gators after a three-year stint as an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator at the University of North Florida. While with the Ospreys, he worked with the middle blockers. During the 2016 and 2017 seasons, the team led the ASUN in total blocks.
Under his tutelage, four Ospreys earned All-Conference honors and one player was named ASUN Freshman of the Year.
Prior to UNF, Lopas served as the volunteer assistant coach at the University of Michigan. His duties included working with the middle blockers, as well as breaking down opponents and scouting reports.
He helped the Wolverines improve their RPI by 17 points and boost their win total by seven. During his 2015 campaign with the Wolverines he coached AVCA second team All-American Abby Cole and helped lead the Wolverines to an NCAA tournament appearance which included regular season wins over three top 20 schools, including at #4 Penn State.
Catalan was previously with LIU Brooklyn for five years, where he served as both assistant coach and recruiting coordinator. His main duties were to head both international and domestic recruiting, assist with day-to-day practice planning, video exchange, breakdown of opponents and scouting reports. He would also organize team travel and meals.
LIU Brooklyn made the NCAA Tournament three of the five seasons that Catalan was a member of the staff. During his tenure, the Blackbirds won four regular season NEC championships and three NEC Tournament championships. Under Catalan's tutelage, the Blackbirds earned 12 First Team All-Conference selections and six Second Team All-Conference selections.
Before arriving at LIU Brooklyn, Catalan served as a volunteer assistant coach at the University of Oklahoma during the 2012-13 seasons. His primary duties were assisting with day-to-day practice planning, video exchange, breakdown of opponents and scouting reports.
During his time at Oklahoma, the Sooners went 46-19 overall, including a 2013 squad that went 24-8 and finishing the season tied for third in the Big 12. Both seasons Catalan worked under head coach Santiago Restrepo, the team advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament.
Both Lopas and Catalan have coached at the club level as well during their careers.
The Gators kick off the 2019 season on August 30 at Louisville in the Cardinal Classic.
FOLLOW FLORIDA VOLLEYBALL
FloridaGators.com
Coach Mary Wise on Twitter | Coach Mary Wise on Instagram
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