SAN ANTONIO -- University of the Incarnate Word volleyball head coach Samantha Dabbs has appointed Ziva Recek-Blackmon as assistant coach, she announced Tuesday.
 
"Ziva is going to be a huge addition to our program," said Dabbs. "She has played at the highest level internationally and collegiately and brings a wealth of knowledge of the all-around game. Ziva is going to train our pin hitters and blocking schemes. She is also going to assist with training the middles."
 
The former University of Florida standout joins the Cardinals after two years at PK Yonge High School in Gainesville, Florida, where she was an assistant for one year before being promoted to head coach. During this time, she also coached at Gainesville Juniors Volleyball Club for a year and at Vision Volleyball Club for a year.
 
"Ziva brings so much to the table and is going to be great with our players," said Dabbs. "She will be able to relate to them more, being younger herself, and just her appreciation of the game and her huge smile is so contagious."
 
Recek-Blackmon came to the U.S. from Kocevje, Slovenia, where she grew up playing volleyball and eventually earned spots on both the Slovenian National Indoor and Beach teams. She was a three-year member of the Slovenian Youth National Team (2006-09) and joined the Slovenian Junior National Team in 2009. She was named the best young female volleyball player in Slovenia, twice, as a member of the Dolenjska regional team.
 
Recek-Blackmon played at Florida from 2012-16. In 2012, she was named the American Volleyball Coaches Association National Freshman of the Year after amassing 440 kills on .247 hitting to go along with 259 digs. While at Florida, she was named a recipient of the AVCA Coaches 4 Coaches scholarship, which pays for future coaches to attend their first coaching convention.
 
In her first collegiate season, she turned in one of the most decorated freshman campaigns in the history of the Gator program. In addition to being named national freshman of the year, Recek-Blackmon earned Volleyball Magazine Third Team All-America, AVCA Honorable Mention All-America, AVCA All-South Region Freshman of the Year, SEC Freshman of the Year, first team All-SEC and SEC All-Freshman Team after guiding Florida to a 27-5 overall record, an SEC title and a regional semifinal appearance.
 
"I couldn't be happier with how my staff has shaped up," said Dabbs. "Evan, Ziva and I each bring something different to the table and, as a whole, we have every area covered."
 
Recek-Blackmon earned a bachelor's of event management at Florida.