June 6, 2002

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - Steve Carr and Nesrin Seckin have been named assistant UAB volleyball coaches, UAB Head Volleyball Coach Melinda Claiborne announced today.

Carr comes to UAB after serving two seasons as an assistant coach at Morehead State University. He helped engineer the turnaround of a Morehead State squad that went 5-25 in 1999. During his two seasons as assistant coach, the Eagles posted records of 23-10 in 2001 and 19-13 in 2000. His responsibilities at MSU included film breakdown, practice planning, game strategy, tape exchange and producing scouting reports.

Carr spent one season as an assistant coach for Ball State University's men's volleyball team. He helped guide the team to a No. 14 national ranking. At Ball State, Carr scouted and reported on opposing teams and had involvement in the creation and conduction of practices.

From June 1997 through Nov. 1998, Carr served as the head girls' junior varsity and assistant girls' varsity volleyball coach at Burris Laboratory School in Muncie, Ind. His junior varsity teams finished with a two-year record of 45-5, while his 1997 varsity team went undefeated, won the state title and was the top-ranked team in the nation. The 1998 varsity squad lost only one game, won another state crown and ranked second nationally.

In addition, Carr coached the Munciana Club volleyball team from Feb. 1998 through July 1999.

Carr played one season for the Ball State Cardinals men's volleyball team. He spent three seasons as the team's manager.

Carr earned three letters in volleyball and was an honorable mention all-conference selection as a senior at Homewood-Flossmoor High School in Homewood, Ill.

A native of Homewood, Ill., Carr earned his bachelor's degree in Spanish with a minor in math from Ball State in 1998. He earned his master's degree in adult and higher education from Morehead State in May. Carr is married to the former Jasmine Haase of Muncie.

"I'm really excited about the contribution Steve can make with his experience at the Division I level and the success that Morehead State had while he was there," said Claiborne. "He definitely made an impact at Morehead State and he is definitely looking at volleyball coaching as a career and is excited to develop that here at UAB. He very much has a team attitude and I am looking forward to working with him."

Seckin comes to UAB after completing an outstanding two-year playing career at the University of North Alabama. She was an American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) First Team All-American selection in 2001 and was named Second Team All-American in 2000 by the AVCA. Seckin was a two-time AVCA First Team All-South Region selection and was twice named the Gulf South Conference's Most Valuable Player. As a senior, she helped lead North Alabama to its sixth straight NCAA Division II Tournament appearance and its sixth straight Gulf South Conference Championship in 2001. Seckin also set an NCAA Division II record for hitting percentage in a three-game match, hitting .941 (16 kills, 17 attempts, 0 errors) against Mississippi University for Women Oct. 10, 2000.

A native of Izmir, Turkey, Seckin graduated with honors from North Alabama with a bachelor's degree in accounting in 2001. She was a two-time College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA)/Verizon Academic All-District Third Team selection and was named the Female Student Athlete of the Year in 2001 and 2002 at North Alabama.

Seckin played two seasons at Dickinson State University in Dickinson, N.D., earning Second Team All-American honors in 1998 and received an NAIA All-American Honorable Mention in 1997. She helped lead Dickinson State to a No. 5 NAIA national ranking in 1998 and conference and regional titles in both 1997 and 1998.

Seckin's coaching experience includes a stint as Trinity High School's head girls' freshman volleyball coach in 1998.

"Nesrin is a great volleyball player who has a lot of international contacts," said Claiborne. "She played in the system over in Turkey and the exposure that she had to other countries over in that area, as well as the connection that she has with her former coaches at North Alabama, will definitely help with our foreign recruitment.

"Overall, I am really excited about our staff. We have the fullest staff that we have had since I've been at UAB and I'm just really excited about the compatibility that we've seen."

The Blazers open the season Aug. 30 at the University of Florida's tournament in Gainesville. UAB's home opener is scheduled for Sept. 3 against Alabama at Bartow Arena at 7:30 p.m.