Brownwood ISD Athletic Director Mitch Moore on Saturday announced that Kristen Grimes has been named new Lady Lions volleyball head coach.

Grimes is replacing Cheyanne Lovelady, who on Friday announced her resignation after two years at Brownwood to accept the volleyball head coach position at Austin Brentwood Christian.

“I wasn’t planning on looking for a new volleyball coach but after the resignation of Coach Lovelady, I went to work,” Moore said. “I was familiar with Kristen Grimes through her husband, Lee, who has joined the Lion staff. Kristen was hired earlier this spring as an ARD Facilitator for the next school year so she was already on staff. I went to Lee and asked for her number because I had an idea. Kristen brings an extensive amount of experience as a former Division I player at Texas A&M and a successful high school coach. I thought she would be a great fit for Brownwood. Kristen and I visited and it confirmed my thoughts that she would be a great fit and she was excited about being the head coach. She will also serve as the head girls powerlifting coach. We have a strong volleyball team coming back this fall and great kids so I’m excited about the future. Coach Lovelady got us going in the right direction and I believe Coach Grimes will continue to build the program. She has already lined up several camps this summer so I would encourage young volleyball players to look for those dates.”

Grimes said, “When I found out we were moving I contacted Coach Lovelady because I know she’s been trying to build up volleyball in town and the surrounding area. I called her and we talked about how I could be of help. I was starting to run clinics, camps and lessons, and then I got a phone call from Coach Moore letting me know Coach Lovelady was moving on and asked if I’d be interested. I spoke with my husband and we prayed about it and ultimately it felt like a good move.”

Grimes previously served as head coach College Station High School and was a varsity assistant coach at A&M Consolidated High School. College Station won district and reached the regional quarterfinals in 2015, while A&M Consolidated captured district titles in 2017 and 2018, advanced to the area round in 2017 and moved on the regional quarterfinals in 2018.

Grimes has also coached Club Volleyball teams East Texas Juniors, Guns Up VBC, Houston Skyline VBC, Aggie Elite VBC, and Northern Lights VBC.

A 2006 graduate of Eaglecrest High School in Colorado, Grimes played college volleyball at the University of North Colorado before transferring to Texas A&M from 2007-09. Grimes was the Aggies Co-Most Valuable Player in 2007 and Co-Offensive Player of the Year in 2009 when Texas A&M made an appearance in the Sweet 16 of the NCAA tournament.

“The club team I played for in Colorado was one of the more dominant teams and I feel the training I got there has always been part of everything I’ve done once I graduated high school and moved into college,” Grimes said. “It helped me build a strong foundation. That foundation I was given, and the continued coaching I received after high school, has stuck with me and it’s what I plan to do here. Everything starts with a firm foundation, strong foundational skills and I feel like Coach Lovelady has put that into the program. They’ve been on an upward swing since she got there and are going in the right direction. I feel like we can continue to build from where they are.”

Grimes spoke about the key to continuing the upward trajectory of the Lady Lions volleyball program.

“We want to get the younger girls started and get some girls having some volleyball knowledge before they get to middle school so that foundation is there and it can continue to grow all the way through middle school up to the high school program,” Grimes said. “I’ll be as involved as I can with the middle school and high school programs, but we’re looking to get fourth, fifth and sixth graders started, touching the ball, getting reps and just learning the game. Brownwood has athletes and kids that are committed and want to be trained, we just have to give them the space and availability to do that. Coach Lovelady did a great job starting a couple of club teams, the town is getting familiar with all the training that can be provided, and my goal is continue what Coach Lovelady already started.”