Sam Houston State University Volleyball

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.

Matthew Cash makes his return to the Sam Houston volleyball program for the 2024 season. This will mark his ninth season in total working with the Bearkats. Cash returns to Sam Houston following a 6-year stint at the Bays Achievement Center as a supervisor providing educational and life skills training to students. He previously worked with the Bearkat volleyball program from 2010-2014 in a multitude of positions, starting off as a manager before moving into student assistant and graduate assistant positions before also serving as a volunteer assistant coach. Cash was involved with some notable Bearkat teams, such as the 2012 Southland Conference champions, and the 2014 team that compiled a 12-0 home record. He was also a camp coach helping run the Brenda Gray Volleyball Camps. Other coaching experience includes coaching in various positions for the Woodland Wave Volleyball Club. Cash was an assistant coach for the 18UA team from 2013-2014, and head coach of the 12UA team which qualified for the 2014 girl's junior national championships. He also organized and ran skill camps and taught private lessons for the developmental league (ages 10-12). Cash is a graduate of Sam Houston, holding a BS in Kinesiology and an MS in sport and human performance. While attending school he played for the Sam Houston men's club team. He also played on one of the top amateur teams in Russia while attending school at Pyatigorsk State University, studying linguistics. Other playing experience incl