UTEP head coach Holly Watts announced the addition of Patricia Lira Figueiredo as an assistant coach to the Miners’ volleyball program on July 8, 2016.
Figuereido will be working with the setters, offense as well as team travel.
“I’m so pleased to have added Patricia to complete our coaching staff for the 2016 season, said head coach Holly Watts. “Her high level playing experience will aid in her ability to communicate with the players we train on a daily basis. Her contacts in South America and in Europe will be beneficial in recruiting great talent, no matter the nationality. Paty will make an immediate impact with our setters and middle attackers. Her playing at Florida State University during part of my stint there allows me to know her loyalty, demeanor and knowledge of the game.”
Figuereido helped perfect Lindsey Larson’s game, as well as assisted in molding newcomer Amanda King to the Miners’ offense.Â
In her final collegiate career, Larson tallied a team-leading 642 assists (5.68 assists per set) as the Miners’ starting setter. Her dominance was shown in a 49 assist showing against FIU on November 4, 2016, helping the Miners to a 3-2 win. For her efforts, Larson was named to the Conference USA Second Team and was a C-USA All-Academic Team selection.
King, who completed her first season at UTEP in 2016 after transferring from Palm Beach State College, recorded 371 assists for the Miners. The junior transfer had 3.28 touches per set.Â
The Rio de Janeiro, Brazil native joins the UTEP volleyball staff after serving as a volunteer assistant coach for Sunnjford Folkehogskule in 2016 in Forde, Norway, where she was responsible for organizing and running the beach volleyball practices for both boys and girls up to the age of 20.
Figueiredo also assisted the women’s indoor volleyball team during practices with an emphasis on setter technique and proper volleyball skills.
Prior to her time in Norway, she was an assistant coach for Rio Sports and Tour in her hometown of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
She coached all basic and advanced beach volleyball skills to groups of boys and girls up to 20 years old, as well as organized scrimmage games with local teams and provided support during tourism activities.
Before Rio Sports and Tour, Figueiredo spent a year (2011-2012) as the volunteer head coach for the Tallahassee Juniors Volleyball Club in Tallahassee, Fla.
She taught basic and advanced skills to the 14’s and 15’s youth club team and also organized youth campers in training drills while providing technical feedback.
Figueiredo received her bachelor’s degree in economics with a minor in business from Florida State University in 2012, where she played her junior year in 2010. She missed her senior season (2011) due to a back injury that limited her in the preseason.
Before Florida State, she spent two years playing for Missouri State University-West Plains.
In her time with the Grizzlies, she was named to the National Junior College Athletic Association Division I Women’s All-American team, as well as American Volleyball Coaches Association’s (AVCA) Two-Year College All-American team.
