Blair Added to Ladyjacks' Staff as Assistant Coach
7/24/2018 4:42:00 PM | Women's Volleyball
Former Hill College head coach returns to home state as Ladyjacks' assistant
NACOGDOCHES, Texas - Stephen F. Austin head volleyball coach Debbie Humphreys announced Tuesday the addition of Alisa Blair to the Ladyjacks' coaching staff for the 2018-19 academic year. Blair, who will serve as an assistant coach, returns to her home state following one year of service as the assistant coach at NCAA Division II institution Central Oklahoma.
"I am extremely excited to be a part of the SFA family," remarked Blair. "I want to not only thank Debbie Humphreys, but Ryan Ivey for giving me this opportunity to be apart of the Ladyjacks volleyball program. Debbie has an outstanding legacy here at SFA and I'm excited not only to learn from her but also to help keep the winning tradition going."
While on staff at Central Oklahoma during the 2017 season, Blair helped oversee a Broncho squad that earned an at-large bid to the NCAA Division II Volleyball Tournament. Though the Bronchos dropped their tournament-opening match to eventual NCAA Division II national champion Concordia-St. Paul, their season was filled with impressive accomplishments.
UCO reeled off a program-best 17 consecutive triumphs, helping the Bronchos finish with a 29-6 record which included a 15-3 showing in Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association (MIAA) matches. Blair was instrumental in helping prep junior outside hitter Taylor Bevis who collected a bevy of 2017 individual awards that included AVCA First Team and CCA Second Team NCAA Division II All-American status.
A finalist for the MIAA's 2017-18 Ken B. Jones Award which recognizes the league's top female and male student-athletes, Bevis was also named the MIAA Player of the Year and was chosen as an All-MIAA First Team performer for the third time in her career.
Blair headed north to Oklahoma following a four-year run at NJCAA institution Hill College in Hillsboro, Texas. Following one season as assistant coach in 2013, Blair took over as head coach in 2014 and proceeded to lead Hill College to a Region V title. For her efforts, she was named Coach of the Year and the Lady Rebels finished the season ranked 13th in the NJCAA Division I national poll.
Under the direction of Blair, Hill College's success continued in 2015 and 2016 as the squad obtained both conference and Region V crowns in each of those seasons. Blair collected Coach of the Year honors in each of those seasons, too, and in all she accumulated 89 wins while in charge at Hill College. Through her four-year tenure, Blair helped the program amass 112 total victories. Two Hill College players earned All-American status under Blair and another 13 were named All-Conference performers.
A native of Amarillo, Texas, Blair was a four-year letterwinner and All-State selection at River Road High School before competing for NCAA Division II program Angelo State as a collegian. In 2012 - Blair's senior year - she helped the Belles claim the Lone Star Conference regular season title. It was the program's first LSC title in two decades and paved the way for the Belles' run to the third round of the NCAA Division II Volleyball Tournament that same season.
A dual graduate of Angelo State with a bachelor's degree in psychology and a master's degree in education, Blair is married to her husband, Craig.
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