(photo by terren in virginia)
July 1, 2009
DURHAM, N.C. – Cristina Pintilie has joined the Duke volleyball staff as an assistant coach, Duke head coach Jolene Nagel announced Wednesday.
Pintilie will begin her first season at Duke after spending the past two years as an assistant coach at Colgate. Among other duties, Pintilie will assist with team training, recruiting and scouting for the Blue Devil volleyball program.
“We’re thrilled to welcome Cristina Pintilie to Duke University and to our volleyball family,” Nagel said. “She’s an exceptional teacher of the game, and I know our team is going to benefit greatly from her knowledge.
“Cristina is going to hit the ground running and be an integral part of recruiting the best and brightest to Duke.”
At Colgate, Pintilie helped lead the Red Raiders to back-to-back winning seasons in 2007 and 2008 and two consecutive runs to the Patriot League Championship. At Colgate, Pintilie gained assistance helping in all aspects of the program.
With her assistance, the Red Raiders finished 11-3 in the Patriot League in 2007 and 9-5 in conference play in 2008. Colgate was among the best all-around teams in the conference each year, finishing second in digs in back-to-back years and among the top five in hitting percentage, lowest opponent hitting percentage and blocks each season.
Pintilie mentored three two-time All-Patriot League players, a Patriot League Rookie of the Year and a Patriot League Co-Defensive Player of the Year. In her first year with the program, Pintilie assisted Colgate head coach Ryan Baker in collecting the Patriot League Coach of the Year award.
Pintilie’s coaching career began at Troy where she coached as a graduate assistant for two seasons. With Troy, Pintilie assisted with the day-to-day operations of the program, coordinating team travel and equipment and working with the summer camps program.
Before beginning her career as a coach, Pintilie played three years as a middle blocker at Long Island University and helped the team capture the 2004 Northeast Conference Championship. During the championship run that propelled Long Island to an NCAA Tournament berth, Pintilie was named NEC Tournament MVP and to the All-NEC first team. A two-time Long Island team MVP in 2002 and 2003, Pintilie finished the 2003 season ranked fourth nationally in kills per set.
A native of Romania, Pintilie received her Bachelor of Science degree in Adapted Physical Education from Long Island University’s Arnold and Marie Schwartz School of Sports Sciences in 2005. She went on to earn her Masters of Science degree in Sport and Fitness Management from Troy in 2007.
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