As Dave Rubio says goodbye to Arizona volleyball, Charita Stubbs says hello

There were mixed emotions Thursday afternoon as the retirement news conference was held for former Arizona volleyball coach Dave Rubio — while also introducing Charita Stubbs as the Wildcats’ next coach. Rubio entered the room with a surfboard in his hand.

“I heard something about retirement was just down the road,” Rubio said with a smile. “I thought I would use some props to let everyone know that I’m headed to the beach next.”

Rubio had been considering retirement for the past few years, and it was this year when he made it official.

“I think you just know when it is time,” Rubio, 63, said. “The last couple of years have been, I think, more challenging than the other years since COVID has happened, and there are a lot of variables that go in with making a decision like this. At the end of the day, when coaches get where I am, you just know that it’s in the best interest of everybody, and personally it was in the best interest of myself.”

Stubbs played for Arizona under Rubio from 1992-94 and has spent 19 total seasons coaching alongside him on the Wildcats’ staff.

“I don’t know if I can articulate enough about what Dave did,” Stubbs said. “I like to tell everyone he saved me three times. He saved me as a player, he saved me when he believed in me to be a coach when I had no desire to coach, and then when he brought me back from North Carolina State. My heart goes out for Dave, and I can’t say enough about him.”

After spending her first nine seasons coaching at Arizona, Stubbs went on to become the head coach at North Carolina State for four years before returning to join Rubio on the Wildcats’ staff. Stubbs talked about her experience in Raleigh and what she learned from those years.

“That was one of the hardest transitions for me because I think I’m likable, I think I’m kind of funny, and people want to be around me,” Stubbs said. “When I became a head coach, they didn’t relate to me that way, but I don’t think I presented myself as myself.”

Stubbs plans to use that experience to help her in this new opportunity.

“I was probably too prideful that I didn’t ask for help (before),” Stubbs said. “Now, I am always up front and honest. I believe in being vulnerable with the players, and that was the meeting I had with them as soon as Dave announced it to the team.”

Through the many seasons Rubio coached alongside Stubbs, he knew she was the right person to take his place. It was a few weeks ago when Rubio entered Stubbs’ office and told her he was officially retiring. It was at that moment when he suggested she go for the job.

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“Immediately, in Dave fashion, he started supporting me and tried to take the attention off himself,” Stubbs said.

Rubio expressed confidence in the future of the program with his protégé taking over.

“It was a natural transition for us, for me to recommend her to follow me,” Rubio said. “I’m so appreciative of Dave Heeke and the administration to have enough confidence in her and to make it better. We need to be better, and I have all of the confidence in the world that Rita is the right person for the job.”

As a player, Stubbs helped lead the Wildcats to back-to-back Sweet 16 appearances in 1993-94. Stubbs also played professionally in France in 1995. She still holds records for career (117) and single- match (eight) solo blocks as a middle blocker for Arizona, while also ranking No. 4 in career block assists (389) and total career blocks per game (1.21).

In April 2020, Stubbs started to write down what she wanted out of her career, and it said “journey to head coach.”

“It was always my goal once I decided I wanted to be a coach that I wanted to be able to coach here,” Stubbs said. “I wanted to be able to give back. I bleed red and blue. Everything about me is a competitor, and everyone that is going to be around me is going to think the same way.”

One of the issues to consider with coaching changes is not only the current players but the recruits who committed to the previous head coach. Carlie Cisneros, considered by some the No. 1 recruit in the 2024 class who is committed to the Wildcats, called Stubbs as soon as Rubio announced his retirement.

Stubbs mentioned she was “sweating bullets” because she couldn’t say anything, and Cisneros was the first person she called the next day once she was announced as Arizona’s coach.

“We talked for about 30 minutes,” Stubbs said. “She is definitely on board and happy.”

Photos: UA volleyball coach Dave Rubio retires after 31 years