Tracie Johnson (Head Coach)

Tracie Johnson is entering her 22nd year as the head volleyball coach at Lee College. Coach Johnson joined Lee College in 1988 after a successful two-year stint coaching volleyball, basketball and track for the Sheldon Independent School District.

Coach Johnson graduated from Lee College in 1984 with an Associate of Arts degree, and then received a Bachelor Arts degree in teaching (with an emphasis in physical education) from Sam Houston State University in 1986. Coach Johnson earned a Master’s of Science in Physical Education from Texas Southern University.

During her tenure at Lee College, Coach Johnson has increased the competitiveness of the program to a national level. Her leadership has awarded the Lady Rebels six trips to the NJCAA National Tournament (1997,1999-2003).

Coach Johnson’s devotion to the Lady Rebels earned her an AVCA Regional Coach of the Year Award in 2001 and six NJCAA District Coach of the Year awards (1997, 1999-2003). Additionally, Coach Johnson has led the Lady Rebels to the Region XIV playoffs 18 times in her 21 years of coaching. Her career record at Lee College is an impressive 546-283 (.658), the third highest win total among all active NJCAA coaches. She is a current member of the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) and United States Volleyball (USAV).

With her own roots being firmly planted in the Baytown area, Coach Johnson is a firm believer in recruiting the best local talent available. During her years at Lee College, she has coached 25 players who products of Baytown high schools. In addition, Johnson has had over 30 players play for her who reside in the Lee College service area.

Along with leading the Lady Rebels into future success, Coach Johnson believes very strongly about giving back to the community. In 1989, she started summer volleyball camps for area teens. Though they began in small numbers, her volleyball camps have now grown enormously with the growing success and interest the surrounding areas have had with the sport of volleyball. Additionally, in 2002, Coach Johnson founded a non profit volleyball club for the benefit of adolescent girls in the Baytown and surrounding communities. Dubbed “Texas Eastside,” the club is associated with USA Volleyball and has provided opportunities to hundreds of girls in the past seven years.

In addition to her coaching duties, Johnson is an instructor in the Kinesiology Division where she teaches Community First Aid and Safety, CPR for the professional rescuer, Sports Safety and a number of activity courses.

Coach Johnson is a native of Highlands and a graduate of Ross S. Sterling High School. Johnson and her husband, David, have one son, Adam.

Sarah Hess (Assistant Coach)

Sarah Hess entered her first season with the Lady Rebel coaching staff in June of 2009 as an assistant coach. Hess spent one year as the Director of Volleyball Operations at California State University- Fresno in 2008. In that capacity, she was responsible for the implementation of on-court training activities and for video/statistical analysis. Hess also has experience as the assistant volleyball coach at Fresno City College (2005) and as Head Girls and Boys Volleyball Coach at Wawona Middle School (2006), both located in Fresno. At Fresno City College, the team went to the Top 8 in the California State Tournament. Hess has also coached USA Volleyball teams at the junior level with the Fresno Volleyball Club from 2004-2009.

As a former student-athlete at Lamar University from 2001-2003, Hess brings NCAA Division I playing experience with her to Lee College. This experience will undoubtedly assist her as she helps to guide the Lady Rebels both on and off the court. In 2001, Hess led the Southland Conference with the Most Service Aces in a single season.