The East Texas A&M Lions women's volleyball team (formerly the East Texas State Lions and the Texas A&M–Commerce Lions) is the women's intercollegiate volleyball program representing East Texas A&M University. The school competes in the Southland Conference (SLC) in Division I of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). For the first 44 years of existence, they competed in the Lone Star Conference of Division II. The East Texas A&M women's volleyball team plays its home games at the University Field House on the university campus in Commerce, Texas. The Lions have won two conference regular-season titles, an LSC tournament championship, and have appeared in the NCAA tournament on six occasions, three times during the tenure of head coach Kathy Goodlett (1983–89) and three under Craig Case.
| East Texas A&M Lions women's volleyball | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Founded | 1978 |
| University | East Texas A&M University |
| Head coach | Joe Morales (2nd season) |
| Conference | Southland |
| Location | Commerce, Texas |
| Home arena | The Field House (capacity: 3,055) |
| Nickname | Lions |
| Colors | Blue and gold[1] |
| AIAW/NCAA Regional Final | |
| 1986 | |
| AIAW/NCAA Tournament appearance | |
| 1986, 1987, 1988, 2017, 2018, 2019 | |
| Conference tournament champion | |
| 1986, 2018 | |
| Conference regular season champion | |
| 1986, 1987 | |
- For information on all East Texas A&M sports, see East Texas A&M Lions
The team is currently coached by Joe Morales.
History
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Women's volleyball has been a varsity sport at East Texas A&M (then East Texas State) since 1978, and the team has played in the LSC since it began sponsoring the sport in 1983.[2] In 1980, the Lions finished the season as the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) national runners-up.[3] From its inception until 1982, the program competed in the NAIA under head coach Donna Tavener; that year, it began competing at the NCAA Division II level.[2]
The Lions were one of the strongest teams in the LSC during the 1980s, never finishing below fourth place in the conference under the guidance of head coach Kathy Goodlett between 1983 and 1989, and winning the conference regular-season title in 1986 and 1987 as well as the LSC tournament in 1986.[2][3] The team also reached the NCAA Division II tournament quarterfinals in 1987,[3] and advanced to the second round of the national tournament in the two subsequent seasons, 1987 and 1988.[2]
Since the end of Goodlett's coaching tenure in 1989, the A&M–Commerce women's volleyball program has failed to win a regular-season conference championship.[2][4] From 1990 to 2022, the Lions have been coached by Terri Johnson (1990–95), Larry Blackwell (1996–2002), Gwen Weatherford (2003–07), Mark Pryor (2008–09), and Craig Case (2010–2022).[2] Case would lead the Lions to a Lone Star Conference championship in 2018.[5] Case also guided the Lions to three consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances in 2017, 2018, and 2019. On February 3, 2021, Case became the winningest coach in program history, earning his 186th victory.[6]
During their first Division I season, the Lions endured their first losing season since 2014, going 11-23 overall and 6-12 in conference play.[7] Despite this, the Lions still managed to qualify for the Southland Conference Tournament with a seventh place finish. There, they would defeat the New Orleans Privateers[8] in the first round before falling to the McNeese State Cowgirls in the quarterfinal round.[9]
After the season, Case stepped down after 13 seasons as the Lions' head coach on December 5, 2022.[10] Joe Morales was hired as the program's eighth head coach on January 19, 2023.[11]
In Morales' first season, the Lions endured another losing season, but still managed to qualify for the Southland Conference Tournament, clinching the final spot. They were eliminated in the first round by the Northwestern State Demons.[12]
Morales' second season saw the Lions go 10-19 overall and 7-9 in conference play. They once again clinched the final spot in the Southland Conference Tournament, where they once again lost to Northwestern State in the first round.[13]
All-time record
edit| Year | Head Coach | Overall | Pct. | Conf. | Pct. | Place | Tourn. | Postseason |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1978 | Donna Tavener | 23–22 | .511 | – | – | – | – | – |
| 1979 | 11–18 | .379 | – | – | – | – | – | |
| 1980 | 26–16 | .619 | – | – | – | – | – | |
| 1981 | 20–18 | .526 | – | – | – | – | – | |
| 1982 | 28–11 | .718 | – | – | – | – | – | |
| 1983 | Kathy Goodlett | 34–12 | .739 | 3–3 | .500 | 3rd | – | – |
| 1984 | 33–17 | .660 | 8–2 | .800 | 2nd | 2nd | – | |
| 1985 | 25–25 | .500 | 6–4 | .600 | 4th | 2nd | – | |
| 1986 | 22–2 | .917 | 12–0 | 1.000 | 1st | 1st | Quarterfinals | |
| 1987 | 31–6 | .838 | 8–1 | .889 | 1st | – | Second round | |
| 1988 | 23–10 | .697 | 12–2 | .857 | 2nd | – | Second round | |
| 1989 | 17–19 | .472 | 10–6 | .625 | 3rd | – | – | |
| 1990 | Terri Johnson | 12–16 | .429 | 9–6 | .600 | 4th | – | – |
| 1991 | 8–22 | .267 | 3–6 | .333 | 6th | – | – | |
| 1992 | 18–17 | .514 | 3–5 | .375 | 5th | – | – | |
| 1993 | 15–21 | .417 | 5–9 | .357 | 7th | – | – | |
| 1994 | 21–12 | .636 | 11–2 | .846 | 2nd | 2nd | – | |
| 1995 | 20–13 | .606 | 10–6 | .625 | 3rd | – | – | |
| 1996 | Larry Blackwell | 7–27 | .206 | 5–13 | .278 | 8th | – | – |
| 1997 | 17–16 | .515 | 5–5 | .500 | 4th (North) | – | – | |
| 1998 | 16–19 | .457 | 7–5 | .583 | 4th (North) | – | – | |
| 1999 | 13–20 | .394 | 6–6 | .500 | 4th (North) | – | – | |
| 2000 | 24–13 | .649 | 7–3 | .700 | 3rd (North) | – | – | |
| 2001 | 21–13 | .618 | 7–3 | .700 | 3rd (North) | – | – | |
| 2002 | 24–13 | .649 | 7–3 | .700 | 2nd (North) | – | – | |
| 2003 | Gwen Weatherford | 15–16 | .484 | 4–7 | .364 | 4th (North) | – | – |
| 2004 | 7–23 | .233 | 3–7 | .300 | T4th (North) | – | – | |
| 2005 | 10–19 | .345 | 2–8 | .200 | 6th (North) | – | – | |
| 2006 | 11–19 | .367 | 4–8 | .333 | 6th (North) | – | – | |
| 2007 | 9–19 | .321 | 3–9 | .250 | 11th | – | – | |
| 2008 | Mark Pryor | 15–12 | .556 | 6–7 | .462 | 7th | T5th | – |
| 2009 | 26–9 | .743 | 9–4 | .692 | 4th | T3rd | – | |
| 2010 | Craig Case | 14–15 | .483 | 4–10 | .286 | T10th | – | – |
| 2011 | 11–17 | .393 | 6–14 | .300 | T9th | – | – | |
| 2012 | 20–11 | .645 | 11–9 | .550 | 5th | T5th | – | |
| 2013 | 23–9 | .719 | 9–7 | .563 | 4th | T3rd | – | |
| 2014 | 7–23 | .233 | 4–12 | .250 | 8th | T5th | – | |
| 2015 | 15–14 | .517 | 7–9 | .438 | 6th | 6th | – | |
| 2016 | 19-13 | .594 | 13-7 | .650 | 5th | Quarterfinals | – | |
| 2017 | 21-12 | .636 | 15-5 | .750 | 2nd | Semifinals | Regional quarterfinals | |
| 2018 | 30-6 | .833 | 17-3 | .850 | 2nd | Champions | Regional finalist | |
| 2019 | 24-7 | .774 | 16-2 | .889 | T1st | Quarterfinals | Regional quarterfinals | |
| 2020 | 7-7 | .500 | 6-6 | .500 | 2nd | Quarterfinals | – | |
| 2021 | 14-10 | .583 | 12-5 | .706 | 5th | First round | – | |
| 2022 | 11-23 | .324 | 6-12 | .333 | 7th | Quarterfinals | – | |
| 2023 | Joe Morales | 9-23 | .281 | 5-13 | .278 | 8th | First Round | – |
| 2024 | 10-19 | .345 | 7-9 | .438 | 8th | First Round | – |
Year-by-year results through the end of the 2024 season[2][4]
Arena
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The Lions women's volleyball program has played at the University Field House since the inception of the program in 1978, although the arena itself was built in 1950 and dedicated in January 1951 as the home of the school's men's basketball program. The Field House has a capacity of 3,055 for both volleyball and basketball contests. The building as a whole measures a total of 69,000 square feet (6,400 m2), enabling it to host the offices of numerous A&M–Commerce sports (including cross country, track and field, soccer, and softball in addition to basketball and volleyball) and university departments (the Athletic Department, Athletic Training, Health and Human Performance, and the James Thrower Academic Center). The arena has also been the host to numerous athletic camps and concerts.[14]
Designed by George Dahl, the Field House was intended to resemble an airplane hangar, with an arched roof topping out at 58 feet (18 m) that is supported by steel beams. In 1949, school president James Gee announced plans for the building's construction along with Memorial Stadium at a combined cost of $325,000. Since its opening in 1951, the Field House has been renovated on numerous occasions: in 1969 (adding classrooms, offices, and dressing rooms), 1991 (replacing bleachers, hardwood playing surface, the HVAC system, and scoreboards), and 2014 (again replacing the playing surface).[14]
Notes
edit- ^ "Logo Downloads - Texas A&M University-Commerce". Retrieved October 21, 2017.
- ^ a b c d e f g "A&M-Commerce Volleyball History: All-time Game Results". LionAthletics.com. Texas A&M University–Commerce. Due to technical limitations, the link "All-Time Results" must be clicked on from the "A&M-Commerce Volleyball History" landing page. Retrieved November 10, 2015.
- ^ a b c Reynolds 1993, p. 161
- ^ a b "2015 LSC Fall Media Guide". Lone Star Conference. 2015. Retrieved November 12, 2015.
- ^ Jensen, Marcus (November 10, 2018). "LSC CHAMPS: No. 22 Lion Volleyball wins first LSC Tournament title in 31 years with 3-1 win over No. 12 Tarleton". LionsAthletics.com. Retrieved March 31, 2022.
- ^ Manck, Josh (February 3, 2021). "Case takes over TAMUC all-time wins lead with Lions' five-set win over DBU". LionsAthletics.com. Retrieved March 31, 2022.
- ^ "2022 Volleyball Schedule". LionAthletics.com. Retrieved December 1, 2022.
- ^ "No. 7 Lions down No. 6 UNO, head to SLC Quarterfinals". LionAthletics.com. November 17, 2022. Retrieved December 1, 2022.
- ^ "Lions' season comes to a close in Southland quarterfinals". LionAthletics.com. November 18, 2022. Retrieved December 1, 2022.
- ^ "Craig Case steps down as Lion Volleyball Coach". LionAthletics.com. December 5, 2022. Retrieved January 19, 2023.
- ^ "Joe Morales Named Head Volleyball Coach". LionAthletics.com. January 19, 2023. Retrieved January 19, 2023.
- ^ "2023 Volleyball Schedule". LionAthletics.com. Retrieved December 15, 2023.
- ^ "2024 Volleyball Schedule". LionAthletics.com. Retrieved December 3, 2024.
- ^ a b "Field House". LionAthletics.com. Texas A&M University–Commerce. Retrieved November 12, 2015.
References
editReynolds, Donald E. (1993). Professor Mayo's College: A History of East Texas State University. Commerce, Texas: East Texas State University Press. ISBN 0963709208.
External links
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Media related to Texas A&M–Commerce Lions women's volleyball at Wikimedia Commons