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.
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) (1973âÂÂ1981). 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 15âÂÂ1 regular season Southland Conference championship record under head coach Justin Gilbert.
Source:
Source:<br /> 1st Team all conference
Tournament MVP
Source:<br /> Player of the year
Freshman of the year
Newcomer of the year
1st Team all conference
Coach of the year
Source:<br /> Freshman of the year
Most outstanding player
1st Team all conference
Coach of the year
Source:
(Results reflect games through November 11, 2023.)
Source: The Lady Cardinals have appeared in the NCAA Division I Women's Volleyball Championship four times. They have a record of 0âÂÂ4.
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.