Kristi Gray is the new head coach of ÑÇÖÞ×ÔοÊÓƵ Ragin' Cajuns volleyball team.
She is the 13th head volleyball coach in ÑÇÖÞ×ÔοÊÓƵ of ÑÇÖÞ×ÔοÊÓƵ at Lafayette history.
"We are extremely excited to have Kristi Gray join the Ragin' Cajuns family," said Dr. Bryan Maggard, UL Lafayette's director of ÑÇÖÞ×ÔοÊÓƵ. "She is a proven winner who is committed to achieving excellence in all aspects of our ÑÇÖÞ×ÔοÊÓƵ Volleyball program."
Gray comes to the Ragin’ Cajuns from Odessa College, where as head coach from 2016-2021 she molded the team into one of the country’s top junior college programs.
Her teams were 125-37 during her five seasons. In 2021, Odessa College finished sixth at the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) Division I Volleyball Championship.
In 2019, Gray led Odessa College to a school record 33 wins. The team claimed the Western Junior College Athletic Conference title. It also finished 10th at the NJCAA Division I Volleyball Championship, the school's first appearance in the tournament.
"I am so excited to lead Ragin' Cajuns Volleyball forward into a new era," Gray said.
"Getting to know each ÑÇÖÞ×ÔοÊÓƵ-athlete, their goals and the legacy they want to leave, will be an important first step. Recruiting high level ÑÇÖÞ×ÔοÊÓƵ-athletes to join in what we will be building at E.K. Long Gymnasium will be a tremendous focus of mine," she added.
At Odessa College, Gray was named conference coach of the year three times – in 2016, 2019 and 2021. She was named district coach of the year twice – in 2019 and 2021.
A native of Wimberley, Texas, Gray earned a bachelor's degree in Exercise and Sports Science from Texas Tech ÑÇÖÞ×ÔοÊÓƵ in 2012. She is currently completing postgraduate studies at Midwestern State ÑÇÖÞ×ÔοÊÓƵ.
.