Spokespeople

Kathy Gregory

Kathy Gregory

UC Santa Barbara Women's Volleyball Head Coach

Kathy Gregory is the only coach UCSB women's volleyball has ever known, guiding the program to a 744–307 (.708) record since taking the reigns in 1975. In her 31 years at the helm—the longest tenure in the history of Gaucho athletics—"The Queen" has guided Santa Barbara to 20 or more victories 26 times, while her teams have finished the season ranked amongst the nation's top 25 on 27 occasions. She boasts five NCAA Sweet 16 appearances in the past eight years (including three Elite Eights), and is currently the sixth-winningest coach in NCAA Division I history. She earned National Coach of the Year honors in 1993, Big West Conference Coach of the Year in each of the last three seasons, and two Regional Coach of the Year honors.

Kathy Gregory is the only coach UCSB women's volleyball has ever known, guiding the program to a 744–307 (.708) record since accepting the reigns of the team in 1975. In her 31 years at the helm—the longest tenure in the history of Gaucho Athletics—"The Queen" has guided Santa Barbara to 20 or more victories 26 times, while her teams have finished the season ranked amongst the nation's top 25 on 27 occasions. She can boast five NCAA Sweet 16 appearances in the past eight years (including three Elite Eights), as well as National Coach of the Year honors in 1993. Gregory is currently the sixth-winningest coach in NCAA Division I history, and has also earned Big West Conference Coach of the Year acclaim in each of the last three seasons, as her squad has captured a trio of league titles. Her trophy case includes two previous Regional Coach of the Year honors.

Gregory’s dominance as a competitor led to her being named as one of the 10 most influential people in the sport of volleyball over the last 30 years, and a member of two separate volleyball halls of fame. After being awarded Women’s Beach Tournament Player of the Year in 1976, 1977, 1978, 1981, and 1983, Gregory was crowned “Queen of the Beach.” Her competitive experience was not limited to the sand, as she served as captain of the professional San Diego Breakers of the IVA—where she was a teammate of basketball legend Wilt Chamberlain—and played on the 1968 U.S. Pan American and World Games squads. On October 21, 1989 she became only the third woman enshrined into the Volleyball Hall of Fame, while another accolade came in 1997, when she earned a spot in the United States Volleyball Association Hall of Fame.

Gregory has also contributed to nationally televised volleyball broadcasts. She served as a color commentator for ESPN’s Women’s Professional Beach Tour, on which she gained recognition for her “In the Crowd” pieces. She also commentated for the Prime Sports network, and most recently served as a studio analyst for College Sports Television’s coverage of the 2004 NCAA Tournament. Aside from what she has given to the sport of volleyball, Gregory has been recognized for her contributions to the advancement of women’s athletics. In 1981 she was given the Salute to Women Award for her devotion to women’s growth in sports. Gregory was also recently named as one of only five coaches nominated for the Women’s Sports Foundation Hall of Fame, an organization which honors outstanding contributions to women’s athletics.

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Gregory's Milestone Victories

100th win
9/18/80 vs. Cal Poly

150th win
10/24/81 vs. USC

200th win
9/16/83 vs. Nevada

250th win
9/14/85 vs. Rhode Island

300th win
9/11/87 vs. Tennessee

350th win
10/7/89 at San Diego State

400th win
10/11/91 at Fresno State

450th win
10/19/93 at Cal State Northridge

500th win
9/26/95 at Cal State Fullerton

550th win
9/20/97 vs. Oklahoma

600th win
9/3/99 vs. Illinois

650th win
11/11/00 vs. Cal State Fullerton

700th win
12/6/02 vs. Fresno State