HOUSTON, Tex.–Every night, a renewed sense of hope fills the air at Texas Southern University as women from across the country battle on the court, all in pursuit of one goal: victory. TSU’s volleyball team has faced a challenging stretch in recent years, with its last winning season recorded in 2017.
Despite these struggles, the team has made significant strides this season, posting a 9-7 conference record and a 7-4 home record—tied for the second-most home wins in the past decade.
The revitalization of this volleyball program is largely due to the vision and leadership of two women who have used their reimagined approach to coaching in order to win.
Putting TSU volleyball on the map
For TSU volleyball head coach Alexis Austin, while training, strategy, and analytics are all essential parts of the game, the mental health and well-being of her players has always been hernumber one gameplan.
“Being a student-athlete can be hard. As coaches, we notice things such as family matters, social life, resolving conflicts, etc., being even harder to balance amongst young adults today,” Austin said. “So, we have counseling services and a Spiritual/Character Development Coach to help them grow in those areas.”
Through forming long-lasting player-coach relationships, an emphasis on hope and faith, life lessons, and encouragement, Austin and assistant coach Ariel Alcoser have worked in tandem to foster a culture of support and success.
“Over the years, Coach Ariel and myself have been working to create a good balance of life lessons, critique, and reassurance in our gym. Alongside that, we’re creating good relationships with our players to get the best from them,” Austin said.
Alcoser, who just completed her first season as a full-time assistant coach, views this season as a stepping stone. Together, she and Austin are focused on building upon the structure they’ve put in place.
“We needed to take a few steps back to see where the team was mentally in terms of having a championship mentality as well as observing how the team can handle adversity,” Austin said.
Looking ahead, their mission is clear: establish a consistent winning program that thrives for generations to come.
“Our main focus for the volleyball program is to create a winning culture, to win a SWAC Championship, and make the NCAA tournament while competing at a high level for the first time in TSU History,” Austin said.
Putting HBCUs on the map
Austin cites the transformative impact of former Jackson State football coach Deion Sanders as an inspiration for her coaching journey.
“To see his efforts and what it takes to turn a HBCU program around has definitely been inspiring as that is why I chose this role. To contribute to the structure, level of discipline, Communication amongst our players, and organization throughout our program,” Austin said.
While the journey may be long, Austin embraces the challenge, determined to savor every step of rebuilding the program into a powerhouse.
“Although, nothing is done over night, I want to make sure to enjoy the process of continuing Texas Southern’s legacy throughout our program,” Austin said.
Beyond simply winning, Austin and Alcoser share a broader vision: raising the profile of HBCU athletics.
“I believe we can reach the NCAA Tournament soon. Coach Austin and I make a great team! We’re training harder, learning more, and applying what we’ve learned to push this program forward. This season showed people what an HBCU volleyball team is capable of,” Alcoser said.
Though the path to success is never easy, Austin firmly believes it begins with what this article started off with. Faith, hope, and winning.
“One thing that sets us apart from other programs is instilling faith to help them grow as young adults. We truly care about our students future and making sure we are developing players through our sport and creating a winning program on and off the court.” Austin said.
As the duo continues to nurture their players and their vision, they aim to leave a lasting mark on collegiate volleyball and HBCU sports.
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