# Lamar Lady Cardinals volleyball

The Lamar Lady Cardinals volleyball team represents Lamar University in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I. The Lady Cardinals compete in the Southland Conference and play their home games at McDonald Gym, an on campus facility in Beaumont, Texas. Ariel Apolinario was named head coach on January 5, 2024. He replaced former head coach Brandon Crisp who left the program on November 13, 2023.

## History

The Lady Cardinals have competed every season from 1973. Since 1982, the program has competed as an NCAA Division I program. From 1973 to 1981, the program competed in the Association for Intercollegiate Athletics for Women (AIAW) (1973–1981). As an AIAW member, the Lady Cardinals won the state AIAW championship in 1975 and finished seventh in the AIAW Nationals. The team won regional AIAW championships in 1976 and 1977 finishing ninth in the AIAW Nationals both years and finished fourteenth in the AIAW Nationals in 1979.
Competing as an NCAA Division I program, the team has won four regular season conference championships including one American South Conference championship (1990), one Sun Belt Conference championship (1997), and two Southland Conference championships (2001, 2007). The team also won five conference tournament championships including three Southland Conference championships (1983, 1984, 2008), one American South Conference championship (1987), and one Sun Belt Conference championship (1993). The Lady Cardinals participated in the NCAA Division I Volleyball tournament four times (1983, 1984, 1993, 2008). Their best conference record was in 2007 with a 15–1 regular season Southland Conference championship record under head coach Justin Gilbert.

## Awards and honors
### AIAW All-Southwest Region

Source:
* Lucy Wiggins, 1975
* Laura Broughton, 1976
* Kathy MacEachern, 1976
* Melonie Floyd, 1980, '81

### American South Conference

Source: 1st Team all conference
* Trisha Beissel, 1987
* Leanne Zeek, 1988, '89
* Cassi Presley, 1988
* Lisa Kachel, 1990
* Jenny Heisler, 1990
Tournament MVP
* Trisha Beissel, 1987

### Southland Conference

Source: Player of the year
* Liz Blue, 1983
* Natalie Sarver, 2002
* Molli Abel, 2007
Freshman of the year
* Wendy Krell, 2009
* Cortney Moore, 2011
Newcomer of the year
* Kathy Givens, 1983
* Trisha Beissel, 1984
* Charyl Norwood, 2000
* Shalayne Blythe, 2007
* Christine Hobbs, 2010
1st Team all conference
* Liz Blue, 1983
* Ruby Randolph, 1984, '85
* Veronica Carter, 1984, '85
* Georgia Briones, 1986
* Tracy Turner, 1986
* Charyl Norwood, 2001
* Urissa White, 2001
* Natalie Sarver, 2001, '02
* Buchi Okoh, 2006
* Molli Abel, 2007
* Adrian Meengs, 2007, '09
* Kaci Brewer, 2007
* Lauren Holdorff, 2008
* Jayme Bazile, 2010
* Chelsea Grant, 2015, '16
Coach of the year
* Katrinka Jo Crawford, 1983, '84
* Jim Barnes, 2001
* Justin Gilbert, 2007

### Sun Belt Conference

Source: Freshman of the year
* Mirian Erikson, 1991
* Kim Green, 1992
Most outstanding player
* Miriam Erikson, 1993
1st Team all conference
* Mirian Erikson, 1992, '93
* Shawn Flowers, 1993
* Kim Green, 1994
* Meredith Terrell, 1997
* Jaime Ewing, 1997
Coach of the year
* Jim Barnes, 1997

## Year-by-year results

Source:
Year-by-year results :
| Season | Conference | Coach | Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Conference | Conference | Conference | Conference | Notes |
| Season | Conference | Coach | Games | Win | Loss | Tie | Games | Win | Loss | Tie | Notes |
| AIAW Year-by-Year Results ||||||||||||
| 1973 | | Claudia Perry | 38 | 30 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Results not available |
| 1974 | | Claudia Perry | 33 | 27 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Results not available |
| | | Claudia Perry | 71 | 57 | 13 | 1 | | | | | |
| 1975 | | Rosie Petty | 62 | 54 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Texas AIAW State Champions, 7th AIAW Nationals |
| 1976 | | Rosie Petty | 62 | 43 | 16 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Southwest AIAW Region Champions, 9th AIAW Nationals |
| 1977 | | Rosie Petty | 58 | 47 | 10 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Southwest AIAW Region Champions, 9th AIAW Nationals |
| 1978 | | Rosie Petty | 48 | 37 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | No results available |
| | | Rosie Petty | 229 | 181 | 43 | 5 | | | | | |
| 1979 | | Linda Willis | 49 | 37 | 12 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | No results available, 14 AIAW Nationals |
| 1980 | | Linda Willis | 59 | 26 | 33 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| | | Linda Willis | 98 | 53 | 45 | 0 | | | | | |
| 1981 | | Katrinka Crawford | 48 | 23 | 25 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| | AIAW Overall | | 446 | 314 | 126 | 6 | | | | |
| NCAA Year-by-Year Results ||||||||||||
| 1982 | Southland | Katrinka Crawford | 57 | 22 | 35 | 0 | 6 | 4 | 2 | 0 | |
| 1983 | Southland | Katrinka Crawford | 55 | 33 | 22 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1st Southland South Division, SLC Tournament Champions, 1st Round NCAA tournament |
| 1984 | Southland | Katrinka Crawford | 45 | 24 | 21 | 0 | 6 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 2nd Southland Conference, SLC Tournament Champions, 1st Round NCAA tournament |
| 1985 | Southland | Katrinka Crawford | 46 | 32 | 14 | 0 | 6 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 2nd Southland Conference |
| 1987 | American South | Katrinka Crawford | 38 | 20 | 18 | 0 | 6 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 1st American South Conference, American South tournament champions |
| 1988 | American South | Katrinka Crawford | 44 | 19 | 25 | 0 | 10 | 8 | 2 | 0 | 2nd American South Conference |
| 1989 | American South | Katrinka Crawford | 40 | 24 | 16 | 0 | 10 | 7 | 3 | 0 | |
| 1990 | American South | Katrinka Crawford | 44 | 30 | 14 | 0 | 12 | 11 | 1 | 0 | American South Champions |
| 1991 | Sun Belt | Katrinka Crawford | 36 | 20 | 16 | 0 | 5 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 2nd Sun Belt West |
| 1992 | Sun Belt | Katrinka Crawford | 37 | 17 | 20 | 0 | 9 | 5 | 4 | 0 | 5th Sun Belt |
| 1993 | Sun Belt | Katrinka Crawford | 36 | 24 | 12 | 0 | 9 | 7 | 2 | 0 | 3rd Sun Belt, Sun Belt Tournament Champions, 1st round NCAA tournament |
| 1994 | Sun Belt | Katrinka Crawford | 29 | 12 | 17 | 0 | 9 | 6 | 3 | 0 | 5th Sun Belt |
| 1995 | Sun Belt | Katrinka Crawford | 35 | 13 | 22 | 0 | 9 | 5 | 4 | 0 | 4th Sun Belt |
| | | Katrinka Crawford | 590 | 313 | 277 | 0 | 100 | 76 | 24 | 0 | |
| 1996 | Sun Belt | Jim Barnes | 33 | 20 | 13 | 0 | 9 | 3 | 6 | 0 | 6th Sun Belt |
| 1997 | Sun Belt | Jim Barnes | 37 | 22 | 15 | 0 | 9 | 8 | 1 | 0 | Sun Belt Champions |
| 1998 | Sun Belt | Jim Barnes | 31 | 19 | 12 | 0 | 20 | 11 | 9 | 0 | 6th Sun Belt |
| 1999 | Southland | Jim Barnes | 32 | 17 | 15 | 0 | 20 | 11 | 9 | 0 | 6th Southland |
| 2000 | Southland | Jim Barnes | 35 | 24 | 11 | 0 | 20 | 12 | 8 | 0 | 5th Southland |
| 2001 | Southland | Jim Barnes | 31 | 26 | 5 | 0 | 20 | 18 | 2 | 0 | Southland Conference Champions |
| | | Jim Barnes | 199 | 128 | 71 | 0 | 98 | 63 | 35 | 0 | |
| 2002 | Southland | Fiona Bolton-Simmons | 33 | 26 | 7 | 0 | 20 | 17 | 3 | 0 | 2nd Southland |
| 2003 | Southland | Fiona Bolton-Simmons | 31 | 10 | 21 | 0 | 20 | 3 | 17 | 0 | 10th Southland |
| 2004 | Southland | Fiona Bolton-Simmons | 32 | 9 | 23 | 0 | 20 | 2 | 18 | 0 | |
| | | Fiona Bolton-Simmons | 96 | 45 | 51 | 0 | 60 | 22 | 38 | 0 | |
| 2005 | Southland | Justin Gilbert | 29 | 8 | 21 | 0 | 16 | 6 | 10 | 0 | 8th Southland |
| 2006 | Southland | Justin Gilbert | 33 | 13 | 20 | 0 | 16 | 8 | 8 | 0 | 2nd Southland East |
| 2007 | Southland | Justin Gilbert | 34 | 25 | 9 | 0 | 16 | 15 | 1 | 0 | Southland Conference Champions |
| 2008 | Southland | Justin Gilbert | 29 | 17 | 12 | 0 | 16 | 12 | 4 | 0 | Southland Conference Tournament Champions, NCAA Tournament 1st round |
| 2009 | Southland | Justin Gilbert | 29 | 15 | 14 | 0 | 16 | 9 | 7 | 0 | 3rd Southland West |
| 2010 | Southland | Justin Gilbert | 29 | 13 | 16 | 0 | 16 | 8 | 8 | 0 | 2nd Southland East |
| 2011 | Southland | Justin Gilbert | 32 | 11 | 21 | 0 | 16 | 9 | 7 | 0 | 2nd Southland East |
| 2012 | Southland | Justin Gilbert | 32 | 10 | 22 | 0 | 18 | 2 | 16 | 0 | 9th Southland |
| 2013 | Southland | Justin Gilbert | 30 | 9 | 21 | 0 | 18 | 7 | 11 | 0 | 9th Southland |
| | | Justin Gilbert | 277 | 121 | 156 | 0 | 148 | 76 | 72 | 0 | |
| 2014 | Southland | Alan Edwards | 28 | 5 | 23 | 0 | 16 | 5 | 11 | 0 | 11th Southland |
| 2015 | Southland | Alan Edwards | 30 | 14 | 16 | 0 | 16 | 4 | 12 | 0 | 10th Southland |
| 2016 | Southland | Alan Edwards | 28 | 6 | 22 | 0 | 16 | 6 | 10 | 0 | 11th Southland |
| 2017 | Southland | Alan Edwards | 26 | 4 | 22 | 0 | 16 | 2 | 14 | 0 | 11th Southland |
| | | Alan Edwards | 112 | 29 | 83 | 0 | 64 | 17 | 47 | 0 | |
| 2018 | Southland | Michelle Kuester | 27 | 7 | 20 | 0 | 16 | 4 | 12 | 0 | 11th Southland |
| 2019 | Southland | Michelle Kuester | 26 | 9 | 17 | 0 | 16 | 4 | 12 | 0 | 12th Southland |
| | | Michelle Kuester | 53 | 16 | 37 | 0 | 32 | 8 | 24 | 0 | |
| 2020 | Southland | Jordan Lay | 17 | 1 | 16 | 0 | 12 | 1 | 11 | 0 | 12th Southland |
| 2021 | WAC | Jordan Lay | 26 | 4 | 22 | 0 | 12 | 0 | 12 | 0 | 6th WAC Southwest Division |
| | | Jordan Lay | 43 | 5 | 38 | 0 | 24 | 1 | 23 | 0 |
| 2022 | Southland | Brandon Crisp | 21 | 8 | 13 | 0 | 10 | 2 | 8 | 0 | 10th Southland |
| 2023 | Southland | Brandon Crisp | 29 | 2 | 27 | 0 | 18 | 2 | 16 | 0 | 10th Southland |
| | | Brandon Crisp | 50 | 10 | 40 | 0 | 28 | 4 | 18 | 0 | |
| 2024 | Southland | Ariel Apolinario | | | | | | | | | |
| | | Ariel Apolinario | | | | | | | | | |
| | NCAA Overall | | 1370 | 644 | 726 | 0 | 552 | 267 | 288 | 0 | |
| Team Overall | | | 1818 | 952 | 856 | 6 | 554 | 267 | 286 | 0 | |
(Results reflect games through November 11, 2023.)

## Postseason
### NCAA Division I Tournament

Source: The Lady Cardinals have appeared in the NCAA Division I Women's Volleyball Championship four times. They have a record of 0–4.
| Year | Round | Opponent | Result |
| 1983 | First round | Texas | L 0–3 |
| 1984 | First round | Texas | L 0–3 |
| 1993 | First round | Arizona | L 0–3 |
| 2008 | First round | Texas | L 0–3 |

## Home court

While McDonald Gym has been home court since 2007, both McDonald Gym and the Montagne Center have served as home courts over the life of the program. The most recent move to the Montagne Center was when McDonald Gym was completely renovated in 2006-07 as part of the $17,800,000 126,000 sq ft Sheila Umphrey Recreational Center project. Following renovations, the volleyball team moved back to its current home, McDonald Gym.
* Sheila Umphrey Recreation Center and McDonald Gym
* McDonald Gym and Sheila Umphrey Recreation Center
* Montagne Center across the freeway