This Saturday, FAU Athletics announced the death of beach volleyball head coach Capri Grotowski, following her nearly decade-long battle against breast cancer. She was 38 years old. 

“The FAU family has suffered a terrible loss with the passing of Coach Grotowski,” said FAU President John Kelly. “We are grateful for Capri’s service to the university and all the lives she influenced throughout her life and career.”

Despite enduring the treatments and effects of her illness, Grotowski  had a successful eight-year career at FAU that included 128 career wins and the 2021 CCSA Beach Volleyball championship.

This past season, however, was the most successful of her career. In 2021, Grotowski led the beach volleyball team to a program-record 21 regular season wins and the program’s first NCAA tournament berth and victory in beach volleyball. 

Before her coaching career, Grotowski played indoor volleyball for Northwood University, now Keiser University, where she earned all conference honors at multiple positions and was named team MVP in all four seasons from 2003 through 2006.

As a professional, she racked up more than 25 career wins and spent two years playing on tour for the Association of Volleyball Professionals, America’s premier pro beach volleyball league. 

“Capri was an incredible coach, but she was an even better person,” said Vice President and Athletics Director Brian White. “We will forever be grateful for the contributions she made to FAU Athletics, building the beach volleyball program into a national contender and positively impacting the lives of our student-athletes over the past eight years.”

Cameron Priester is the Sports Editor for the University Press. For information regarding this or other stories, email [email protected] or tweet him @PriesterCameron.