University of Kansas Women's Volleyball

Bechard and the Jayhawks are looking to add unprecedented to the list as they embark on the goal of earning four-straight NCAA Tournament bids for the first time in program history. The winningest coach in Kansas volleyball history and two-time Big 12 Coach of the Year (2012, 2013), Bechard will begin the 2015 season just five wins away from his 300th victory at Kansas. This coming just one year after he collected his 1,000th career win in 2014. Both milestones put him elite company, with the upcoming one putting him at second among active Big 12 Conference coaches.  Since his arrival on the coaching scene 31 years ago, Bechard spent 13 seasons on the sidelines of Barton County Community College in Great Bend, Kan., before taking over the reins at Kansas. At both stops, Bechard has compiled a remarkable all-time coaching record of 1,011-285 (.780 winning percentage).  In 17 seasons at Kansas, Bechard has led the Jayhawks to a 295-226 mark (.567) and 13 seasons at .500 or better. In all, the veteran has coached 30 All-Big 12 selections, seven All-Americans, eight AVCA Team Academic awards and 105 Academic All-Big 12 honorees. Additionally, Bechard has built a solid fan base for Kansas volleyball as the Jayhawks have consistently finished among the nations top-30 attendance leaders the last three years. In 2012, more than 1,300 fans attended each home match on average, to rank 29th in the NCAA in attendance. When KU hosted the NCAA First and Second Rounds in 2012 in Allen Fieldhouse, the Lawrence, Kan., host site drew more fans in the two-day event than any other national host (8,029). Last fall, KU broke its home sell-out record (7) and ranked 31st in the NCAA in attendance.   All six NCAA Tournament appearances occurred in the Bechard era and every postseason trip breaks new ground. In 2014, the Jayhawks earned their third-consecutive national seed (No. 16) in the NCAA Tournament. Even with Allen Fieldhouse unavailable, the committee still awarded Kansas a hosting opportunity. KU hosted the First and Second Rounds in Topeka, Kansas. Not only did the 2014 season play witness to Bechards 1000th career victory, but Kansas continued its tear through the Big 12 standings. KU overcame an 0-3 start in league play to storm back and finish the year tied for second in the conference. Prior to 2013, Kansas had never finished as high as second place. Now, the Jayhawks have done so two years in a row.  Bechard and his staff brought in the 15th-ranked recruiting class in 2014 to compensate for the seven seniors lost in 2013. In the class included Big 12 Preseason Player of the Year and Womens Junior National Team member Ainise Havili. The setter was no joke, breaking the KU freshman assists record, simultaneously leading the league. She and Kelsie Payne, who averaged more than a block per set and hit .341, were awarded Big 12 All-Freshman Team honors. Havili also became KUs first freshman to earn AVCA All-America Honorable Mention honors. At the conclusion of the season, Bechard said goodbye to a pair of two-time All-Big 12 First Team seniors Chelsea Albers and Sara McClinton. Together, the duo garnered four winning seasons and 88 victories - the most by a KU senior class. While McClinton ended her career with the sixth-most kills in KU history, Albers earned AVCA All-America Honorable Mention recognition.  After starting the year ranked on the preseason poll, the Jayhawks were ranked or receiving votes 10 times in 2014. Against the sixth-toughest schedule in the NCAA, Kansas squared off against perennial powerhouse Penn State for the first time in program history and defeated Sweet 16 American University in the same tournament. They swept Kansas State in Manhattan for the second-straight year. Once again, KU matches aired on Time Warner Cable SportsChannel, ESPNU and Fox Sports. Bringing volleyball into the national spotlight is a major source of pride for the Jayhawk veteran. Following a special 2012 season that saw KU break the winningest season record with a .788 winning percentage (26-7) and finish the last half of the year ranked in the top 25, Bechard immediately instilled his successful to significant philosophy. The mindset spread quickly throughout the team and has caught on through 2013, 2014 and beyond. By 2013 seasons end, Bechard and the Jayhawks achieved their highest Big 12 finish in league history (2nd, 12-4), broke the schools hitting percentage record (.254), swept in-state rivals Kansas State for the second-consecutive season and saw four different players reach All-America status. Senior middle blocker Caroline Jarmoc, the programs first All-America selection in 2012, earned the honor for a second-straight season in 2013 from the AVCA. Alongside her were teammates Erin McNorton,  Albers and McClinton, each of whom earned All-America Honorable Mention recognition. Known for primarily working with the setters, Bechard was rewarded indirectly when McNorton transformed from a walk-on into the Big 12 Setter of the Year in 2013. A true leader, Bechard was happier for McNortons accolade than his own when he was named the Big 12 Coach of the Year and the AVCA Midwest Region Coach of the Year for the second time in as many years to conclude the 2013 regular season. Ranked No. 20 on the early poll, the Jayhawks entered the 2013 season with nine of their first 10 matches on the road. The loaded slate included home-and-home matches against defending national champion Texas and three other Big 12 teams that reached the NCAAs in Iowa State, Kansas State and Oklahoma. In addition, the Jayhawks squared off against Notre Dame, Arkansas twice, Creighton, Central Arkansas and Bowling Green, all of whom played in the 2012 NCAA Tournament. Kansas ran with it, racking up a 10-4 record away from home, including true road victories against Arizona (RPI: 20), Iowa State (RPI: 21), Arkansas (RPI: 40) and a comeback win at National Runner-Up Wisconsin (RPI: 15). Aside from attack percentage, the Jayhawks also broke the program record for block assists in a single season (522) and tallied the fourth-most kills (1,801) and second-most assists (1,694) in program history. The Jayhawks led the Big 12 in assists (13.55) and kills (14.41) per set, which ranked 12th and 15th in the NCAA, respectively. After falling to No. 3 overall-seeded Washington in the Sweet 16, KU ended the 2013 season ranked No. 17, tying the highest ranking in program history. Kansas also finished at No. 12 in the final RPI, making it a solid two years since the Jayhawks have been outside the NCAAs top-20 in the RPI. In 2012, the  Jayhawks collected the most home victories in a season (17), along with the programs longest home win streak (13), while compiling a third-place finish in the Big 12 Conference (12-4). KU also earned the teams highest-ever national ranking, checking in at No. 17 on the AVCA Division I Coaches poll (10/22/12). The Jayhawks remained on the top-25 poll for the remaining eight weeks of the season and checked in at No. 25 on the final poll. When the NCAA released its first RPI projections of the 2012 season, KU debuted at No. 9 and would later climb to a program-best No. 6 RPI ranking on Nov. 19, 2012. The Jayhawks were in the top-10 RPI for seven of nine weeks and ended the season at No. 9 in the final projections of the season.   Also in 2012, Bechard guided Jarmoc to Second-Team All-America honors, the first All-American in Kansas volleyball history. Among many accolades from that season was senior middle blocker Tayler Tolefree winning the inaugural Big 12 Volleyball Scholar-Athlete of the Year award.   Prior to the 2012 season, Bechard completed his second stint with Team USA Volleyball. Bechard was one of eight collegiate coaches selected by USA Volleyball to lead the U.S. Womens National A2 Team Program at Ohio Dominican University in Columbus, Ohio, June 26-July 5, 2012. In 2011, the Jayhawks posted their best start at 11-1 since the 2002 season, including three per-conference tournament titles and knocking off No. 6 Minnesota, the highest-ranked opponent defeated in program history. Of the Jayhawks all-time wins against top-25 foes, all but one came under Bechards direction. Jarmoc and Tolefree each checked in at top-five in the Big 12 in individual blocks per set. Bechard also witnessed Allison Mayfield lead the conference in kills per set on her way to becoming KUs all-time leader for kills in a season (462, 2011). The Jayhawks spent three-straight weeks receiving votes on the AVCA Top-25 Poll in 2011.   In 2010, Bechard and company brought in the 26th-ranked recruiting class according to PrepVolleyball.com. Kansas posted a 17-14 record. Those 17 wins resulted from an intense schedule that included six nationally-ranked opponents. In the Jayhawks 31 matches, 14 of them paired Kansas against teams that went on play in the NCAA Tournament. A year after his 900th career victory milestone in 2009, Bechard notched his 200th career win at Kansas during the 2010 season.   His players routinely exhibit Bechards belief in being dedicated on the court and in the classroom. Aside from winning the AVCA Team Academic Award for seven-consecutive years (2005-12), Bechards squad is always in the running to lead the Kansas Athletics department in team GPA. In 2011, KU tied the conference record with 10 student-athletes named to the Academic All-Big 12 team. In 2012 and 2013, all eight of KUs Academic All-Big 12 honorees were named to the First Team.   Mayfield and Tolefree were CoSIDA Academic All-District honorees in 2011, while Karina Garlington was a two-time ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District honoree in 2008 and 2010. In 2008, Bechards team enjoyed national recognition when Garlington was named the schools second AVCA National Player of the Week on Nov. 10. Whats more, Nicole Tate earned 2008 Big 12 All-Freshman team honors.   During the 2007 season, Bechard and his team put together a 3-2 upset over No. 18 Oklahoma, the sixth-straight season KU upset a ranked team, and a four-game victory against tournament-bound Missouri State, which made Bechard the winningest coach in KU volleyball history. The Jayhawks also picked up a win at Missouri, marking their first road win in Columbia since 2001. The 2007 season saw the graduation of standout Emily Brown, who left her name littered all over the KU record books as she became the first Jayhawk to reach the 1,000 milestone in kills, digs and assists, while also landing on five top-10 career lists.   In 2006, KU picked up a Preseason Big 12 Newcomer of the Year selection in Natalie Uhart. Uhart later suffered a season-ending injury prior to the teams first contest and that seemed to set the tone for the year as the Jayhawks were hampered with injuries over the course of the season. However, the team still collected several accomplishments, including a tournament title at Temple to start off the year. In addition, the team dug up 15.81 balls per game, its highest dig average since the 2001 season.   Bechard led the Jayhawks to a 15-15 overall record in 2005 and their third-straight postseason appearance. Despite a depleted roster due to injuries, KU battled No. 16 UCLA to four games in Los Angeles in the NCAA Tournament First Round. The 2005 season also saw the careers of three talented seniors, Josi Lima, Paula Caten and Andi Rozum, come to a close. Caten became KUs first Academic All-American in volleyball, while Lima, KUs only four-time All-Big 12 First Team selection, finished her career as the Jayhawks all-time kills leader and one of the most prolific volleyball players in school history. Rozums name still sits at the top of the career assists list. In addition to his teams achievements and the individual successes of his seniors, Bechard reached a significant milestone on Sept. 10, 2005, when he coached his 1,000th career match. The Jayhawks commemorated the milestone by defeating visiting Michigan State, 3-0.   In 2004, KU returned to the NCAA Tournament for the second-straight season and fell just short of a Sweet 16 appearance. The Jayhawks defeated Santa Clara, 3-1, before falling to host Washington, 3-2, in second-round action. KU came back from a two-game deficit to battle the Huskies, who advanced to the Final Four and then won the National Championship in 2005. In addition to the Jayhawks return to the postseason, KU enjoyed its first national ranking on Sept. 13 when Kansas came in at No. 24 in the USA Today/CSTV Top 25 Coaches Poll. A week later, Kansas reached its highest national ranking (No. 21) in the poll.   The 2003 season became another celebrated year as KU achieved the most victories since 1991 (22) and the fourth most in program history at the time, the most conference wins in school history (13) and the highest finish in the conference race (tied for third) since joining the Big 12 in 1996. The greatest highlight of the 2003 season came when Bechard and the Jayhawks were invited to participate in the NCAA Tournament for the first time in program history. KU shocked powerhouse Long Beach State by sweeping the 49ers 3-0 in First Round action before falling to host No. 4 Pepperdine 3-1 in the NCAA Second Round in Malibu, California.   Bechard also reached two significant coaching milestones in 2003 as he recorded his 800th career victory and 100th win at Kansas. Since his arrival at KU, Bechards teams have been making their mark in the KU record books, sitting atop numerous career lists. Bechard has helped develop the play of several standout players, including Lima, who took home All-Big 12 First Team honors all four years, as well as the 2002 Big 12 Newcomer of the Year award as a freshman. Lima, KUs all-time kills leader (1,483), joined middle blocker Amanda Reves (1996-99) as the two players to earn first-team league honors under Bechard. Lima also became the first player in KU history to be named to the AVCA All-Region Team in 2003.   Katie Martinich was named the Big 12 Sportsperson of the Year for the 2007-08 academic year and Jennifer Kraft (1999-2002) earned the Big 12 Defensive Specialist award in 2002, while Ashley Michaels (2001-04) was an All-Big 12 Honorable Mention selection for two-straight years. Jill Dorsey, a 2004 graduate, led the Big 12 in her senior season with 4.64 digs per game and left KU as the all-time career digs leader (1,338), a record that has since been broken by KU alum Brianne Riley. Michaels concluded her KU career as the programs leader in attack percentage (.317) and finished second behind Reves in block assists (324) and blocks per game (1.03).   Bechard came to KU after spending 13 years as the head coach at Barton County Community College in Great Bend, Kan. After a stellar coaching career at BCCC, Bechard was inducted into the National Junior College Athletic Association Volleyball Hall of Fame in 1998. In 13 seasons at Barton County, Bechard posted a career record of 716-60 (.923 winning percentage) and coached 23 Academic All-Americans. He completed his career at BCCC with the highest all-time winning percentage among junior college/community college coaches and ranked fourth all-time with 716 career wins. Twice (1990 and 1993) Bechard was named the AVCA National Junior College Coach of the Year, and he was selected the AVCA District IV Coach of the Year 12 times.   In 1995, he was an assistant coach for the USA Volleyball Youth National Team which won the Slovakian Cup Championship in Zilina, Slovakia. Bechard, who was the only non-Division I coach on the staff, coached alongside TCUs Sandy Troudt and Penn State assistant Erin Tomblin. The team competed against youth teams from Poland and Slovakia. Bechard began his coaching career when he served three years (1980-83) as head coach of the girls volleyball team and the boys basketball team at Lewis High School in Lewis, Kan. The first sign of his coaching talent was evident as he directed LHS to a pair of conference titles on the volleyball court.   A member of the American Volleyball Coaches Association, Bechard served as president of the organization in 2010. He was also a member of the board of directors of the AVCA from 1992-98 and has presented at the AVCA National Convention on two different occasions. Bechard was also president of the NJCAA Volleyball Coaches Association from 1989-92.   A native of Grinnell, Kansas, Bechard played basketball at Barton County, where he helped the Cougars to a 45-13 record in his two seasons. Following his junior college playing career, Bechard attended Fort Hays State University where he graduated with a bachelors degree in physical education in 1980. Two years later, he received his masters degree in physical education from FHSU.   Bechard is married to the former Pamela Brown. The couple has two children. Their daughter Ashley was a KU letterwinner in volleyball from 2001-04, and married Erik Henkelman in 2011. Erik and Ashley had a baby girl named Evelyn (Evie) in July 2014, the first grandchild for Ray and Pam. Their son, Brennan, who played on the Kansas mens basketball team from 2007-09, is now the mens basketball director of operations. The Bechard family expanded again when Brennan married Danielle Hayes in 2014. Ray Bechard will enter his 18th year as the head coach of the Kansas volleyball team in 2015, continuing the steady transition of guiding his program from successful to significant. In 2015, Bechard and the Jayhawks are looking to add unprecedented to the list as they embark on the goal of earning four-straight NCAA Tournament bids for the first time in program history. The winningest coach in Kansas volleyball history and two-time Big 12 Coach of the Year (2012, 2013), Bechard will begin the 2015 season just five wins away from his 300th victory at Kansas. This coming just one year after he collected his 1,000th career win in 2014. Both milestones put him elite company, with the upcoming one putting him at second among active Big 12 Conference coaches.  Since his arrival on the coaching scene 31 years ago, Bechard spent 13 seasons on the sidelines of Barton County Community College in Great Bend, Kan., before taking over the reins at Kansas. At both stops, Bechard has compiled a remarkable all-time coaching record of 1,011-285 (.780 winning percentage).  In 17 seasons at Kansas, Bechard has led the Jayhawks to a 295-226 mark (.567) and 13 seasons at .500 or better. In all, the veteran has coached 30 All-Big 12 selections, seven All-Americans, eight AVCA Team Academic awards and 105 Academic All-Big 12 honorees. Additionally, Bechard has built a solid fan base for Kansas volleyball as the Jayhawks have consistently finished among the nations top-30 attendance leaders the last three years. In 2012, more than 1,300 fans attended each home match on average, to rank 29th in the NCAA in attendance. When KU hosted the NCAA First and Second Rounds in 2012 in Allen Fieldhouse, the Lawrence, Kan., host site drew more fans in the two-day event than any other national host (8,029). Last fall, KU broke its home sell-out record (7) and ranked 31st in the NCAA in attendance.   All six NCAA Tournament appearances occurred in the Bechard era and every postseason trip breaks new ground. In 2014, the Jayhawks earned their third-consecutive national seed (No. 16) in the NCAA Tournament. Even with Allen Fieldhouse unavailable, the committee still awarded Kansas a hosting opportunity. KU hosted the First and Second Rounds in Topeka, Kansas. Not only did the 2014 season play witness to Bechards 1000th career victory, but Kansas continued its tear through the Big 12 standings. KU overcame an 0-3 start in league play to storm back and finish the year tied for second in the conference. Prior to 2013, Kansas had never finished as high as second place. Now, the Jayhawks have done so two years in a row.  Bechard and his staff brought in the 15th-ranked recruiting class in 2014 to compensate for the seven seniors lost in 2013. In the class included Big 12 Preseason Player of the Year and Womens Junior National Team member Ainise Havili. The setter was no joke, breaking the KU freshman assists record, simultaneously leading the league. She and Kelsie Payne, who averaged more than a block per set and hit .341, were awarded Big 12 All-Freshman Team honors. Havili also became KUs first freshman to earn AVCA All-America Honorable Mention honors. At the conclusion of the season, Bechard said goodbye to a pair of two-time All-Big 12 First Team seniors Chelsea Albers and Sara McClinton. Together, the duo garnered four winning seasons and 88 victories - the most by a KU senior class. While McClinton ended her career with the sixth-most kills in KU history, Albers earned AVCA All-America Honorable Mention recognition.  After starting the year ranked on the preseason poll, the Jayhawks were ranked or receiving votes 10 times in 2014. Against the sixth-toughest schedule in the NCAA, Kansas squared off against perennial powerhouse Penn State for the first time in program history and defeated Sweet 16 American University in the same tournament. They swept Kansas State in Manhattan for the second-straight year. Once again, KU matches aired on Time Warner Cable SportsChannel, ESPNU and Fox Sports. Bringing volleyball into the national spotlight is a major source of pride for the Jayhawk veteran. Following a special 2012 season that saw KU break the winningest season record with a .788 winning percentage (26-7) and finish the last half of the year ranked in the top 25, Bechard immediately instilled his successful to significant philosophy. The mindset spread quickly throughout the team and has caught on through 2013, 2014 and beyond. By 2013 seasons end, Bechard and the Jayhawks achieved their highest Big 12 finish in league history (2nd, 12-4), broke the schools hitting percentage record (.254), swept in-state rivals Kansas State for the second-consecutive season and saw four different players reach All-America status. Senior middle blocker Caroline Jarmoc, the programs first All-America selection in 2012, earned the honor for a second-straight season in 2013 from the AVCA. Alongside her were teammates Erin McNorton,  Albers and McClinton, each of whom earned All-America Honorable Mention recognition. Known for primarily working with the setters, Bechard was rewarded indirectly when McNorton transformed from a walk-on into the Big 12 Setter of the Year in 2013. A true leader, Bechard was happier for McNortons accolade than his own when he was named the Big 12 Coach of the Year and the AVCA Midwest Region Coach of the Year for the second time in as many years to conclude the 2013 regular season. Ranked No. 20 on the early poll, the Jayhawks entered the 2013 season with nine of their first 10 matches on the road. The loaded slate included home-and-home matches against defending national champion Texas and three other Big 12 teams that reached the NCAAs in Iowa State, Kansas State and Oklahoma. In addition, the Jayhawks squared off against Notre Dame, Arkansas twice, Creighton, Central Arkansas and Bowling Green, all of whom played in the 2012 NCAA Tournament. Kansas ran with it, racking up a 10-4 record away from home, including true road victories against Arizona (RPI: 20), Iowa State (RPI: 21), Arkansas (RPI: 40) and a comeback win at National Runner-Up Wisconsin (RPI: 15). Aside from attack percentage, the Jayhawks also broke the program record for block assists in a single season (522) and tallied the fourth-most kills (1,801) and second-most assists (1,694) in program history. The Jayhawks led the Big 12 in assists (13.55) and kills (14.41) per set, which ranked 12th and 15th in the NCAA, respectively. After falling to No. 3 overall-seeded Washington in the Sweet 16, KU ended the 2013 season ranked No. 17, tying the highest ranking in program history. Kansas also finished at No. 12 in the final RPI, making it a solid two years since the Jayhawks have been outside the NCAAs top-20 in the RPI. In 2012, the  Jayhawks collected the most home victories in a season (17), along with the programs longest home win streak (13), while compiling a third-place finish in the Big 12 Conference (12-4). KU also earned the teams highest-ever national ranking, checking in at No. 17 on the AVCA Division I Coaches poll (10/22/12). The Jayhawks remained on the top-25 poll for the remaining eight weeks of the season and checked in at No. 25 on the final poll. When the NCAA released its first RPI projections of the 2012 season, KU debuted at No. 9 and would later climb to a program-best No. 6 RPI ranking on Nov. 19, 2012. The Jayhawks were in the top-10 RPI for seven of nine weeks and ended the season at No. 9 in the final projections of the season.   Also in 2012, Bechard guided Jarmoc to Second-Team All-America honors, the first All-American in Kansas volleyball history. Among many accolades from that season was senior middle blocker Tayler Tolefree winning the inaugural Big 12 Volleyball Scholar-Athlete of the Year award.   Prior to the 2012 season, Bechard completed his second stint with Team USA Volleyball. Bechard was one of eight collegiate coaches selected by USA Volleyball to lead the U.S. Womens National A2 Team Program at Ohio Dominican University in Columbus, Ohio, June 26-July 5, 2012. In 2011, the Jayhawks posted their best start at 11-1 since the 2002 season, including three per-conference tournament titles and knocking off No. 6 Minnesota, the highest-ranked opponent defeated in program history. Of the Jayhawks all-time wins against top-25 foes, all but one came under Bechards direction. Jarmoc and Tolefree each checked in at top-five in the Big 12 in individual blocks per set. Bechard also witnessed Allison Mayfield lead the conference in kills per set on her way to becoming KUs all-time leader for kills in a season (462, 2011). The Jayhawks spent three-straight weeks receiving votes on the AVCA Top-25 Poll in 2011.   In 2010, Bechard and company brought in the 26th-ranked recruiting class according to PrepVolleyball.com. Kansas posted a 17-14 record. Those 17 wins resulted from an intense schedule that included six nationally-ranked opponents. In the Jayhawks 31 matches, 14 of them paired Kansas against teams that went on play in the NCAA Tournament. A year after his 900th career victory milestone in 2009, Bechard notched his 200th career win at Kansas during the 2010 season.   His players routinely exhibit Bechards belief in being dedicated on the court and in the classroom. Aside from winning the AVCA Team Academic Award for seven-consecutive years (2005-12), Bechards squad is always in the running to lead the Kansas Athletics department in team GPA. In 2011, KU tied the conference record with 10 student-athletes named to the Academic All-Big 12 team. In 2012 and 2013, all eight of KUs Academic All-Big 12 honorees were named to the First Team.   Mayfield and Tolefree were CoSIDA Academic All-District honorees in 2011, while Karina Garlington was a two-time ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District honoree in 2008 and 2010. In 2008, Bechards team enjoyed national recognition when Garlington was named the schools second AVCA National Player of the Week on Nov. 10. Whats more, Nicole Tate earned 2008 Big 12 All-Freshman team honors.   During the 2007 season, Bechard and his team put together a 3-2 upset over No. 18 Oklahoma, the sixth-straight season KU upset a ranked team, and a four-game victory against tournament-bound Missouri State, which made Bechard the winningest coach in KU volleyball history. The Jayhawks also picked up a win at Missouri, marking their first road win in Columbia since 2001. The 2007 season saw the graduation of standout Emily Brown, who left her name littered all over the KU record books as she became the first Jayhawk to reach the 1,000 milestone in kills, digs and assists, while also landing on five top-10 career lists.   In 2006, KU picked up a Preseason Big 12 Newcomer of the Year selection in Natalie Uhart. Uhart later suffered a season-ending injury prior to the teams first contest and that seemed to set the tone for the year as the Jayhawks were hampered with injuries over the course of the season. However, the team still collected several accomplishments, including a tournament title at Temple to start off the year. In addition, the team dug up 15.81 balls per game, its highest dig average since the 2001 season.   Bechard led the Jayhawks to a 15-15 overall record in 2005 and their third-straight postseason appearance. Despite a depleted roster due to injuries, KU battled No. 16 UCLA to four games in Los Angeles in the NCAA Tournament First Round. The 2005 season also saw the careers of three talented seniors, Josi Lima, Paula Caten and Andi Rozum, come to a close. Caten became KUs first Academic All-American in volleyball, while Lima, KUs only four-time All-Big 12 First Team selection, finished her career as the Jayhawks all-time kills leader and one of the most prolific volleyball players in school history. Rozums name still sits at the top of the career assists list. In addition to his teams achievements and the individual successes of his seniors, Bechard reached a significant milestone on Sept. 10, 2005, when he coached his 1,000th career match. The Jayhawks commemorated the milestone by defeating visiting Michigan State, 3-0.   In 2004, KU returned to the NCAA Tournament for the second-straight season and fell just short of a Sweet 16 appearance. The Jayhawks defeated Santa Clara, 3-1, before falling to host Washington, 3-2, in second-round action. KU came back from a two-game deficit to battle the Huskies, who advanced to the Final Four and then won the National Championship in 2005. In addition to the Jayhawks return to the postseason, KU enjoyed its first national ranking on Sept. 13 when Kansas came in at No. 24 in the USA Today/CSTV Top 25 Coaches Poll. A week later, Kansas reached its highest national ranking (No. 21) in the poll.   The 2003 season became another celebrated year as KU achieved the most victories since 1991 (22) and the fourth most in program history at the time, the most conference wins in school history (13) and the highest finish in the conference race (tied for third) since joining the Big 12 in 1996. The greatest highlight of the 2003 season came when Bechard and the Jayhawks were invited to participate in the NCAA Tournament for the first time in program history. KU shocked powerhouse Long Beach State by sweeping the 49ers 3-0 in First Round action before falling to host No. 4 Pepperdine 3-1 in the NCAA Second Round in Malibu, California.   Bechard also reached two significant coaching milestones in 2003 as he recorded his 800th career victory and 100th win at Kansas. Since his arrival at KU, Bechards teams have been making their mark in the KU record books, sitting atop numerous career lists. Bechard has helped develop the play of several standout players, including Lima, who took home All-Big 12 First Team honors all four years, as well as the 2002 Big 12 Newcomer of the Year award as a freshman. Lima, KUs all-time kills leader (1,483), joined middle blocker Amanda Reves (1996-99) as the two players to earn first-team league honors under Bechard. Lima also became the first player in KU history to be named to the AVCA All-Region Team in 2003.   Katie Martinich was named the Big 12 Sportsperson of the Year for the 2007-08 academic year and Jennifer Kraft (1999-2002) earned the Big 12 Defensive Specialist award in 2002, while Ashley Michaels (2001-04) was an All-Big 12 Honorable Mention selection for two-straight years. Jill Dorsey, a 2004 graduate, led the Big 12 in her senior season with 4.64 digs per game and left KU as the all-time career digs leader (1,338), a record that has since been broken by KU alum Brianne Riley. Michaels concluded her KU career as the programs leader in attack percentage (.317) and finished second behind Reves in block assists (324) and blocks per game (1.03).   Bechard came to KU after spending 13 years as the head coach at Barton County Community College in Great Bend, Kan. After a stellar coaching career at BCCC, Bechard was inducted into the National Junior College Athletic Association Volleyball Hall of Fame in 1998. In 13 seasons at Barton County, Bechard posted a career record of 716-60 (.923 winning percentage) and coached 23 Academic All-Americans. He completed his career at BCCC with the highest all-time winning percentage among junior college/community college coaches and ranked fourth all-time with 716 career wins. Twice (1990 and 1993) Bechard was named the AVCA National Junior College Coach of the Year, and he was selected the AVCA District IV Coach of the Year 12 times.   In 1995, he was an assistant coach for the USA Volleyball Youth National Team which won the Slovakian Cup Championship in Zilina, Slovakia. Bechard, who was the only non-Division I coach on the staff, coached alongside TCUs Sandy Troudt and Penn State assistant Erin Tomblin. The team competed against youth teams from Poland and Slovakia. Bechard began his coaching career when he served three years (1980-83) as head coach of the girls volleyball team and the boys basketball team at Lewis High School in Lewis, Kan. The first sign of his coaching talent was evident as he directed LHS to a pair of conference titles on the volleyball court.   A member of the American Volleyball Coaches Association, Bechard served as president of the organization in 2010. He was also a member of the board of directors of the AVCA from 1992-98 and has presented at the AVCA National Convention on two different occasions. Bechard was also president of the NJCAA Volleyball Coaches Association from 1989-92.   A native of Grinnell, Kansas, Bechard played basketball at Barton County, where he helped the Cougars to a 45-13 record in his two seasons. Following his junior college playing career, Bechard attended Fort Hays State University where he graduated with a bachelors degree in physical education in 1980. Two years later, he received his masters degree in physical education from FHSU.   Bechard is married to the former Pamela Brown. The couple has two children. Their daughter Ashley was a KU letterwinner in volleyball from 2001-04, and married Erik Henkelman in 2011. Erik and Ashley had a baby girl named Evelyn (Evie) in July 2014, the first grandchild for Ray and Pam. Their son, Brennan, who played on the Kansas mens basketball team from 2007-09, is now the mens basketball director of operations. The Bechard family expanded again when Brennan married Danielle Hayes in 2014.

Matt Ulmer, a proven winner at the highest level with a track record of successful player development, postseason triumphs and elite recruiting, has been named the seventh head coach in Kansas volleyball history, Director of Athletics Travis Goff announced Friday. Ulmer, who has served as the head coach at Oregon since 2017, signed a six-year contract that will go through the 2030 season.

Billy Ebel enters his third season as an assistant coach on Ray Bechards coaching staff at the University of Kansas in 2020. Ebel joined the Jayhawks after five seasons at Lipscomb University. Billys infectious enthusiasm will serve our program very well, Bechard said. He is a great ambassador for volleyball. His hunger to learn and gain experience has made him an outstanding teacher in the gym. In addition to his time at Lipscomb and UMKC, he has played at the highest level of the mens game, has been involved with USA Volleyball programs, and worked numerous summer camps including ours at KU. He puts the athletes first hes most concerned about their development. During his time at Lipscomb, Ebel helped lead the Bisons to three Atlantic Sun Conference regular-season titles and three appearances in the NCAA Tournament. In 2014, Ebel and the Bisons earned the ASUNs first-ever at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament. After three seasons as an assistant coach he was promoted to associate head coach by Lipscomb head coach Brandon Rosenthal in 2016, which was the first time Rosenthal had named an associate head coach. The Overland Park, Kansas, native also has extensive coaching experience with U.S. Womens National Teams, where he has crossed paths with KU All-Americans Kelsie Payne and Ainise Havili on the national team circuit. Ebel graduated from Ball State University in 2010, where he was a standout mens volleyball student-athlete and served as team captain, earning all-conference honors during his senior year. In 2010, he set the schools single-season record with a 3.05 digs-per-set average. He cut his teeth in the coaching career as a volunteer assistant at UMKC under Bechards former KU assistant, Christi Posey. Prior to joining the UMKC staff, Ebel served as a defensive coordinator at Bishop Miege, his former high school team. He helped the Lady Stags to the 2010 Kansas State Championship. While in college, Ebel served as a volunteer assistant coach at prep powerhouse Muncie Burris Laboratory High School in Muncie, Indiana, for three seasons.  He helped guide the Owls to the Indiana Class 2A State Championship in each season and one national runner-up finish.

Former KU volleyball player Tori Miller was added to the staff in August 2022 as the Technical Coordinator.

As head cheerleading coach for the University of Kansas Athletics, Drake Stafford is responsible for anything and everything related to the school’s cheer teams, both Coed and All-Girl. He sets strategic goals for the program that align with its overall mission, which is: To provide complete and unwavering support of our Athletic Department.

Former Kansas volleyball setter Maggie Bowen (‘16) rejoined the program during the 2017 season as the director of volleyball operations and following a one-year stint as the assistant coach in 2018, she returned to her operations responsibilities in 2019.

Bio Kaitlin Lugo Shulman, a former Kansas Cheerleader and assistant coach, was named KU’s Spirit Squad Director in 2022. Shulman replaces Cathy Jarzemkoski ,...

Kansas Athletics announced the hiring of Katie Burris as the head Rock Chalk Dance team coach at the University of Kansas in January of 2022.