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
