Photo: Tommy Hays
BY BRIAN GOSSET
X – @gosset41
Sean McMurry has been hired to be the next leader of the Lovejoy volleyball program – the school announced last week. McMurry replaces Natalie Bates, who steps down to focus on family.
“I’m beyond excited and blessed for this opportunity. Can’t wait to be there,” McMurry said in a tweet Friday morning.
Lovejoy is a 10-time UIL state champion with 13 state appearances. The Leopards took home titles in 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2014, 2019, 2020, 2021 and 2023.
During their most recent championship run, Lovejoy dominated the Final Four with a semifinal win over Fulshear and 25-18, 25-23, 25-19 sweep over Liberty Hill in the 5A title match. The championship gave Bates her sixth with the program – second as a head coach. She also won three as a player and one as an assistant coach under Ryan Mitchell, who started the program in 2007.
Bates took Lovejoy to a 36-9 record last season and the 5A Division 2 Regional 2 final over Wakeland, where the team lost in straight sets.
McMurry comes from College Station A&M Consolidated, where he led the team for two years and a trip to the regional final last season. He led his team to a 35-11 record in 2024 after coming off 13-29 overall and 2-12 in district. Last season, the Tigers also won an undefeated district championship and McMurry was voted District Coach Of The Year.
Lovejoy hasn’t dropped a district game the past two seasons.
According to the roster, the Leopards had five seniors, eight juniors, one sophomore and one freshman. They will be led in 2025 by star 2027 hitter in Gentry Barker, who was 5A state champ MVP as a freshman, along with Skylar Jackson, Bella Lopez, Sienna Franks, Emerson Boyd and Coco Natarajan.
