Kansas Athletics
LAWRENCE, Kan. – Legendary Kansas Volleyball coach Ray Bechard has been selected for induction into the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) Hall of Fame Class of 2025, honoring his distinguished four-decade career and extraordinary impact on the sport. The AVCA announced Wednesday morning.
Bechard, who retired following the 2024 season after 27 years leading the Jayhawks, will be formally honored at the USMC/AVCA Coaches Honors Banquet on Thursday, December 18, during the AVCA Convention in Kansas City, Missouri. Joining Bechard in the 2025 class is Jenny Hahn, Alan Knipe, and Tracy Rietzke.
"I am truly humbled with this honor, especially coming from the coaches' organization. The AVCA has been a great platform for all coaches in the sport," Bechard said. "Like any award, this is not about me but all the players, coaches, and staff that I have worked with throughout my career. I have been so blessed to have the support of my family, the University of Kansas and Barton County Community College throughout my career."
The winningest coach in Kansas Volleyball history, Bechard guided the Jayhawks to 13 NCAA Tournament appearances, including three Sweet Sixteens, a 2015 Final Four berth, and the 2016 Big 12 Championship, the program's first conference title. During his Kansas tenure, he compiled a career record of 496-313 (.613) and coached 12 AVCA All-Americans.
A five-time Big 12 Coach of the Year (2012, 2013, 2015, 2016, 2025) and three-time AVCA Region Coach of the Year, Bechard led Kansas to national prominence with six straight NCAA Tournament appearances from 2012 to 2017, a span that included 45 consecutive weeks ranked in the AVCA Coaches Poll. His 2015 squad reached the NCAA National Semifinals, while the 2016 team captured the Big 12 title with a 15-1 league record.
Bechard's teams also set new standards for fan engagement. Under his leadership, Kansas Volleyball established one of the most electric home atmospheres in the nation, selling out Horejsi Family Volleyball Arena in back-to-back seasons, and annually finishing among national leaders in capacity percentage.
Before his arrival in Lawrence, Bechard built a national powerhouse at Barton County Community College, where he posted a 716-60 (.923) record across 13 seasons from 1985 to 1997. At Barton, he coached 23 Academic All-Americans, earned two AVCA National Junior College Coach of the Year awards (1990, 1993), and captured 12 AVCA District IV Coach of the Year honors. His success led to induction into the NJCAA Volleyball Coaches Association Hall of Fame in 1998.
Over 38 seasons as a head coach, Bechard amassed more than 1,100 career victories across both levels and was previously enshrined in the Barton County Community College Sports Hall of Fame and the Kansas Volleyball Association Hall of Fame.
Bechard also played a key leadership role nationally. An active member of the AVCA for decades, he served as the organization's president in 2010 and sat on its board of directors from 1992–2008, helping guide the association through significant growth in membership and programming.
A native of Grinnell, Kansas, Bechard earned both his bachelor's (1980) and master's (1982) degrees in physical education from Fort Hays State University. Before his collegiate coaching career, he began in high school athletics, leading Lewis High School to multiple conference titles in volleyball and basketball from 1980–83.
Bechard's influence on the Kansas program extended beyond the court. His players excelled academically and professionally, and his family's ties to KU athletics remain strong. His daughter, Ashley Bechard Henkelman, played for Kansas Volleyball from 2001–04, and his son, Brennan Bechard, now serves as Director of Basketball Scouting for Kansas Men's Basketball.
Bechard's induction into the AVCA Hall of Fame marks his fourth career Hall of Fame honor, capping a career defined by competitive excellence, program-building success, and lifelong dedication to the sport of volleyball.
The AVCA Hall of Fame Class of 2025 will be recognized on December 18 during the USMC/AVCA Coaches Honors Banquet, held in conjunction with the NCAA Division I Women's Volleyball Championship at the Kansas City Convention Center.