MIDLAND, Texas — A new era has begun in Midland College, as Kristina Gafford was named the new head coach of the girls volleyball team on Monday.
The announcement comes on the heels of their former head coach Tammie Jimenez resigning to become the head volleyball coach at Texas A&M International University.
Gafford was a two-year starter for the Lady Chaps from 2012 to 2014. Four years later, she joined Midland College as an assistant coach back in 2018 after going from player to assistant coach.
Gafford calls becoming head coach a "full circle moment" and hopes to implement similar strategies that her predecessor did.
"One of the things Tammy worked on was that defense won games, so I will focus a lot on that. Our defense is really important for volleyball, so blocking, back row defense, all of those things are really important, but really focusing on how to win points as well is how I want to elevate that," Gafford said.
Gafford is the fourth volleyball coach in the school's history, following Erica Elder, Kimberly Boone-Weaver and Jimenez.