According to a press release from Texas A&M Athletics on Monday, Nov. 21, the university has announced that head volleyball coach Laura “Bird” Kuhn is being “relieved of duties” as the coach of the Aggie volleyball team, effective immediately.
Coach Kuhn led the Aggies to a 76-60 record during her five seasons as the head coach of A&M, but the maroon and white have not had a winning record either overall or in the SEC over the last three seasons.
A&M volleyball finished its 2022 season with an overall record of 13-16, going 5-13 in conference play. The team also had losing records both at home and on the road.
“The goal for all our teams at Texas A&M is to perform at a consistently high level and compete for conference and national titles,” Texas A&M Director of Athletics Ross Bjork said in the release. “Given the recruiting base in Texas and support for volleyball, we believe that we can and should be better, and that is what the 12th Man deserves.”
Bjork said A&M will begin a national search for a new coach, its seventh in program history, immediately for the 2023 season.
The Aggies are not expected to advance to the postseason, advancing only once under Kuhn’s tenure. In 2019, the Aggies reached the NCAA regional semifinals, a season in which Kuhn earned the title of SEC Coach of the Year.
“I’m thankful for this opportunity,” Kuhn said in the release. “I’ve learned and grown so much in my time here. I love all the players that have come through and all the people that have impacted us as a staff. Texas A&M is a really special place and I appreciate all the energy, resources and the people. Going forward, I know they are going to be great. This is a great place and it’s going to be a great program.”