Bucknell University Athletics
Inga Kurgonaite Named Graduate Assistant Volleyball Coach at Bucknell
8/5/2008 8:00:00 AM | Volleyball
Aug. 5, 2008
LEWISBURG, Pa. - Inga Kurgonaite, a 2008 graduate of Lock Haven and a former All-America selection, has been named the graduate assistant volleyball coach at Bucknell, longtime Bison head coach Cindy Opalski announced Tuesday. Kurgonaite will join Opalski and fourth-year assistant Anna Allison in forming a solid three-person coaching staff.
"We are particularly pleased to have Inga join our staff as we make a serious bid for a Patriot League championship this year," said Opalski. "Not only will she provide us with another valuable teacher in the gym, but her experience on the national and international level will immediately impact our level of competitiveness."
Kurgonaite brings a wealth of playing experience to her new coaching position. She was a Third Team All-America choice in 2006 and led Lock Haven to three straight NCAA Elite Eight appearances (2004-2006), three NCAA Atlantic Region championships (2004-2006) and a pair of Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) titles (2004, 2006).
A four-time All-Atlantic Region selection, Kurgonaite ended her career with the Lady Eagles third on the program's kills list (1,459), third in hitting percentage (.303) and fourth in blocks (426). She piled up a team-high 359 kills as a senior and registered at least 20 kills in a match four times.
Named to the All-PSAC Team four times, Kurgonaite was an Honorable Mention All-America choice as a sophomore when she tallied 89 digs and 106 blocks.
A native of Kaunas, Lithuania, Kurgonaite helped Lock Haven pace the NCAA in blocks per game in 2004 (3.83 bpg) and 2006 (3.06 bpg), and in hitting percentage in 2006 (.317).
A right-side hitter during her playing career, Kurgonaite was a 2007 NCAA Leadership Conference participant and was the co-president of the Lock Haven Student-Athlete Advisory Committee as a senior in 2007-08.
Kurgonaite will join a Bucknell team that went 12-17 in 2007. The Bison have finished above .500 13 times in the last 15 years and have advanced to the Patriot League Tournament 16 times in 18 years.
