BATON ROUGE - After 24 straight seasons with the Tigers, LSU head volleyball coach Fran Flory has announced her retirement.

"It's been my life's calling to coach, mentor, and support incredible student-athletes, and fulfilling that calling at a place like LSU has been a dream come true," Flory said. "I will forever cherish the time spent, the lessons learned, and the lifelong relationships shared with the coaches, players, and staff I have been blessed to work alongside. This program and this place have unlimited potential, and though it is time for me to begin a new chapter of my life outside of coaching, I will always do everything I can to contribute to the success of LSU Volleyball and our entire athletics community."

Flory became the fifth head coach in the program in 1998 after serving as an assistant coach from 1988 to 1991. She also led the Tigers to conference championships from 2005 to 2011 and seven of eight SEC Western Division titles.

"Fran Flory epitomizes the spirit of LSU," said LSU Director of Athletics Scott Woodward. "Her passion for coaching and educating student-athletes is unrivaled and has never wavered. She has built a program that stands for everything that is right about collegiate athletics. Her teams have won on the court, thrived in the classroom, and transformed the community. We are grateful for her years of service and the legacy that she has left on our entire department."

LSU has already begun the search for her replacement.