Flathead Bravettes Volleyball Coach to Step Down after Six Years

Flathead High School on Friday announced the resignation of head coach Emily Russell, who had led the Bravettes Volleyball program for the past six years.

The Flathead Activities Department will begin the hiring process after the holiday break, aiming to present a candidate recommendation to the Board of Trustees by February, according to a press release from the school. 

“We are excited about the level of work ethic and talent that our returning players bring to the program,” Matt Allison, assistant principal and activities director, said. “The Flathead Activities mission is developing champions in life and tomorrow’s leaders. 

“We will continue to push our student-athletes and this program forward.”

Russel took the helm of the program for the 2020 season, marking a return to her alma mater where as a player she helped lead the Bravettes to the school’s most recent hardware finish at the state tournament. 

“A Flathead High School alumna and former setter on the 2012 state runner-up team, Russell returned to her alma mater with a passion for the program and a commitment to developing student-athletes both on and off the court,” the school said in the press release.

During her time as a coach with the program — one year as an assistant coach and six years as head coach — Russell led the Bravettes to the Class AA state tournament in 2021 where the team finished 1-2.

That state tournament appearance proved to be the winningest season during Russell’s tenure. The Bravettes finished the 2025 season 5-21 overall and 4-10 in the Western AA conference. Both the 2024 and 2025 seasons came to a close with 3-0 defeats in Class AA state tournament games.

“We are excited about the level of work ethic and talent that our returning players bring to the program,” Allison said. “The Flathead Activities mission is developing champions in life and tomorrow’s leaders. We will continue to push our student-athletes and this program forward.”

[email protected]