COACHING HONORS
Years	Honor
2012	Southland Conference Coach of the Year
1993	Southland Conference Coach of the Year
1987	Southland Conference Coach of the Year
1984	Gulf Star Conference Coach of the Year
COACHING EXPERIENCE
Years	School, Position
1984-Pres.	Sam Houston - Head Coach
1983	Bastrop High School - Head Coach
1982	Sam Houston - Graduate Assistant
PLAYING EXPERIENCE
Years	School
1981-82	Sam Houston
1979-80	Lee College
HEAD COACHING RECORD
Years	School	Record	Conference Record
1984-Pres.	Sam Houston	763-573	10-3 (WAC)
			308-208 (Southland)
			2-2 (Gulf Star - D1)
			16-2 (Gulf Star - D2)
Career	40 years	763-573	342-239
CONFERENCE USA RECORD
Year	Record	CUSA Record	Postseason
2023	7-22	1-15
1 year	7-22	1-15
WAC RECORD
Year	Record	WAC Record	Postseason
2022	8-20	5-9
2021	18-10	10-3	NIVC - 1st Round
2 years	26-30	15-12
SOUTHLAND CONFERENCE RECORD
Year	Record	SLC Record	Postseason
Spring 2021	11-3	10-2
2019	19-14	12-4	NIVC - 2nd Round
2018	22-8	13-3
2017	14-16	10-6
2016	18-14	10-6
2015	14-18	7-9
2014	18-12	11-5
2013	17-11	14-4
2012	21-11	15-3
2011	18-13	11-5
2010	15-17	9-4
2009	20-14	12-4
2008	15-19	9-7
2007	11-19	5-11
2006	10-16	5-11
2005	17-13	14-5
2004	16-15	10-10
2003	11-18	8-12
2002	14-18	7-13
2001	12-19	8-12
2000	5-25	4-16
1999	13-15	9-11
1998	12-19	9-11
1997	12-20	7-11
1996	25-15	12-5	NCAA Tournament
1995	19-15	12-7
1994	29-10	12-1
1993	25-8	8-1	NCAA Tournament
1992	23-13	8-1
1991	22-14	7-2
1990	33-8	6-1
1989	25-14	6-1
1988	17-16	4-3
1987	35-9	8-4
34 years	608-489	308-211
GULF STAR (D1) RECORD
Years	Record	GSC Record	Postseason
1986	30-16	2-2
1 year	30-16	2-2
GULF STAR (D2) RECORD
Years	Record	GSC Record	Postseason
1985	45-8	7-1	NCAA D2 Tourn.
1984	47-8	9-1	NCAA D2 Tourn.
2 years	92-16	16-2

Brenda Gray completed her 40th season as head volleyball coach at Sam Houston in 2023, the Bearkats' first in Conference USA.

Gray ranks among the top 10 active NCAA Division I women's head coaches with 763 career victories, and most recently leading the Bearkats to the 2021 WAC Southwest Division title.

In Sam Houston's 37 years at the NCAA Division I level, Gray's teams have won 26 regular-season, major-college tournament team championships and finished either first or second in conference play 13 times.

She was named as Sam Houston head volleyball coach in 1984 after serving as a graduate assistant at SHSU and as head coach of the girl's athletic program at Bastrop High School.

An outstanding player at Humble High School, Gray played two years at Lee College before transferring to Sam Houston. As a Bearkat, she helped lead Sam Houston to a 93-31 record in 1980 and 1981.

AS SAM HOUSTON HEAD COACH
• Southland Conference Coach of the Year (1987, 1993 and 2012)
• Gulf Star Conference Coach of the Year (1984)
• 2 NCAA Division I national playoffs (1993, 1996)
• 3 National Invitational Championship tournament appearances (1994, 2019, 2021)
• 2 NCAA Division II Final Four (1984, 1985)
• 2 Southland Conference regular season championships (1993, 2012)
• 2 Gulf Star Conference championships (1984, 1985)
• 2 Southland Conference Tournament championships (1993, 1996)
• 1 Southland Conference West Division champion (1994)
• 1 WAC Southwest Division champion (2021)
• 14 Southland Conference Tournament semifinals (1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1993, 1994, 1996, 2005, 2008, 2011, 2012, 2015, 2016, 2018, 2019, 2020)
• 26 Southland Conference Tournament appearances
• 4 NCAA All-Americans
• 8 NCAA All-Region players
• 51 All-Conference players who have earned that honor a total of 85 times

EDUCATION & HONORS
• Inducted into the Sam Houston State University Women's Letterwinner's Association Hall of Honor in December 2010
• Received Bachelor of Education degree in 1982 and Master of Education degree in 1983 from Sam Houston
• Named to "Who's Who Among University and College Students"
• Was member of the Golden Key Honor Society
• Received the Outstanding Achievement Award in Physical Education and the Margaret Powell Award for Professional Excellence

PERSONAL
• Married to husband, Tim
• The couple has a son, Timothy, and a daughter, Tayler
• Also has three grandchildren: Boston, Brady and Anna, born to Timothy and his wife Devon
• Son, Timothy, was a 4-year letterman as a pitcher for Sam Houston, earned his Bachelor's degree in biology (pre-med)
• Following graduation, Timothy signed a pro contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers
• Timothy also served as a graduate assistant coach for the Bearkat baseball team during the 2009 season
• Daughter, Tayler, serves as an assistant coach on staff for Bearkat Volleyball
• Daughter, Tayler, earned All-Southland Conference honors in both volleyball and softball at Sam Houston
• Tayler helped lead SHSU to the 2012 SLC championship and was twice an Academic All-SLC choice
• Tayler holds both bachelor's and master's degrees from Sam Houston

Coaching Staff
Image	Name	Title	Email	Phone Number
	Brenda Gray	Head Coach	bgray@shsu.edu	936 294-1736

1988 Volleyball Roster

Brenda Gray

Brenda Gray

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