EFSC names Carmelo 'Melito' Eleutiza new volleyball coach

Eastern Florida State College has hired Carmelo 'Melito' Eleutiza as the new women's volleyball head coach.

Eleutiza comes to Eastern Florida State College after spending last season as a volunteer assistant coach at UCF. Eleutiza is also the head volleyball coach of the Orlando Tampa Volleyball Academy which is currently ranked No. 1 in the state of Florida and finished last season No. 2 in the nation. He has won 10 national championship in the open division of club volleyball and also coached at NCAA Division II Bluefield State College in West Virginia.

"I started coaching volleyball with my mother in Puerto Rico at the age of 12 and have had success at each level and felt it was time for me to go to the next level," Eleutiza said. "I am very hungry for this opportunity. I feel like this is a perfect fit for me, my wife and family and I want to be able to prove that we can be competitive. I am excited, been waiting six years for an opportunity like this so I have to thank Jeff Carr for giving me the opportunity and I am excited to help take it to the next level."

Eleutiza takes over for Andrea Rasmussen who was 69-97 in six seasons with the Titans. Eastern Florida State College was 5-17 last season.

"We have a core of seven players coming back and right now our challenge is to bring in four or five players who can come and help make a difference," Eleutiza said of his roster. "If we can establish that, we will be very competitive next season."

The new Titans coach grew up in Puerto Rico and played in college at Interamericana University as well as coached with his mother and later with the Toa Baja semi-pro league with a record of 53-16 and had an undefeated season, winning a league championship. Eleutiza has also been an assistant volleyball coach for the Captains of Arecibo and Llaneras of Toa Baja in the Puerto Rico Girls Professional Volleyball League.

"We are really excited to have Carmelo as our next volleyball coach," Eastern Florida State College Associate Vice President of Athletics Jeff Carr said. "He has won at every level he has coached. He is a teacher of the game and will add a lot to our staff. I can't wait for the volleyball season to start."