San Antonio, TX native. Considered one of the best all-around volleyball players in history, Crockett played collegiately for the University of Houston. A 1977 AIAW All-American, selected to the 1980 and 1984 U.S. Olympic teams, Rita was a key member of the silver-winning '84 team -- still tied for the best indoor finish in U.S. Olympic history. Outside of the U.S. program, Rita played professional volleyball in Japan, Italy and Switzerland. Rita returned to the United States to play in the new Major League Volleyball league from 1986-87, earning the league's MVP in 1987. In 1989, she teamed with Volleyball Hall of Famer Jackie Silva to win the World Beach Volleyball Championship to become the first African-American woman to earn the title. Rita's indoor career continued in Italy with Matera and Rome from 1988 to 1993 -- earning the MVP of the Italian League in 1991. After her playing career ended in 1998, Rita continued to coach back in the U.S., serving as the head coach at Iowa from 1998 to 2004 before taking on the associate head volleyball coach role at Florida State in 2004 to 2005. Crockett is currently the volleyball Head Coach and Assistant Athletic Director at Florida International University.

She was inducted into the Texas Sports Hall of Fame in 2017.