Drovers Announce Hiring of Isabel Almendarez as New Head Volleyball Coach

CHICKASHA, Okla. – Thursday afternoon, the Science & Art athletic department announced the hiring of Isabel Almendarez as the new head volleyball coach.

When asked about the hiring of Almendarez, athletic director Mike Ross said, "I feel we were extremely fortunate to find someone like coach Almendarez. Her experience, values, and philosophy are exactly what we were looking in a head coach. This hire has put our volleyball program in a great position to be successful. Not only immediately, but for the future as well. "

USAO Administrative Coordinator/ People & Culture and Senior Women Leader for the Athletic Department Cathy Perri added, "We are extremely excited to have Coach Almendarez lead our volleyball program. Her experience and values are a perfect match for what we were searching for. I look forward to watching her develop her culture in our program."

Prior to coming to USAO, Almendarez has coached at the collegiate and club levels, most notably as the Senior Head Women's Volleyball Coach at Dallas College Cedar Valley from 2015-2022.

Under her leadership with the Suns, Almendarez changed the culture to a championship mindset. She has coached numerous All-Dallas Athletic Conference Team, All-Region V Team and NJCAA All-Americans. Almendarez demonstrates not only high standards on the court, but in the classroom as well. Under her academic expectations, her programs have had numerous student-athletes earn DAC Academic and NJCAA All-Academic honors.

Almendarez is a native of Fort Worth, Texas, where she started her volleyball career as a freshman and developed a passion for the game. Almendarez received many accolades, and also had success at the club level, while playing for the Texas Advantage Volleyball as a libero. Almendarez graduated cum laude, a Texas Scholar and as the Female Athlete of the Year from R. L. Paschal High School in 2004.   

Almendarez extended her playing her career at Dallas College Brookhaven in Farmers Branch, Texas. During her time with the Bears, she helped lead the volleyball program to back-to-back NJCAA DIII National Championships as the libero in 2008. She received National Junior College Athletic Association All-Region V and All-Metro Athletic Conference honors. Almendarez concluded her collegiate career at Texas Wesleyan University.

Almendarez received a Bachelor of Science in liberal studies from Texas Wesleyan University and is currently working on a Master of Science in kinesiology from Tarleton State University. She and her husband, Cesar, are parents of two boys and one girl.

When asked about being hired as the new head coach, Almendarez said," I would like to thank Athletic Director Mike Ross, and everyone on the committee for putting their faith in me and giving me this opportunity. I am honored and beyond excited to lead the USAO Drovers volleyball team forward into a new era." Almendarez continued by saying "I am grateful to become a member of USAO family and cannot wait to get started. I am excited to build from where we are and make the climb upwards, both on and off the court."

Welcome to #DroverNation Coach Almendarez!

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