Frankie Velez, a veteran with 30 years of coaching experience, including with Team USA, will be Wiley University’s new head volleyball coach, as announced by Director of Athletics Rafael Gonzalez. Velez will become the sixth head coach since 2005.
“When our head volleyball coaching position opened, I knew exactly who I wanted to hire,” Gonzalez said. “Coach Velez has a great track record and experienced incredible success. Most importantly, he knows the State of Texas and will be able to bring in quality athletes who will help turn our program into contenders for Historically Black Colleges and Universities Athletic Conference (HBCUAC) and National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) titles.”
Velez joins the Wildcat coaching staff after spending the last 13 years coaching club volleyball in the Houston Area. Since 2020, he’s been with the Houston/Katy Stars. From 2001 to 2008, he was responsible for training athletes and coaches at Team Texas Elite. Velez played a key role in the program’s consistent participation in the USA Volleyball Junior National Tournaments each year. The team reached the semifinals from 2002 to 2006, with a notable final appearance in 2003.
“I’m excited to return to college and getting to stay in Texas, where I received my first collegiate position,” Velez said. “I love coaching and making a positive impact. I’m ready to get started, not only to build a strong team but also to help these young women succeed in life.”
From 1999-2001, Velez was on the coaching staff with USA Women’s National Volleyball Team. He served as an assistant coach under the legendary coach Toshi Yoshida. Velez helped with on-court training, preparing them for the 2000 Summer Olympics. He also served as the director of developmental camps.
“It was an amazing opportunity,” Velez said. “I not only learned more about the game but the mental aspects — how I should feel and think as a coach. Coach Yoshida taught me to be more in tune with myself.”
Velez’s first collegiate position was at Lon Morris College, serving as head volleyball coach from 2010 to 2012, where he met Gonzalez, who was serving as the head soccer coach at the time.
Velez inherits a Lady Wildcat squad that has won nine matches the last two seasons and missed the postseason for the first time since 2005. From 2006-2019, the Lady Wildcats were annual contenders for the Red River Athletic Conference championship, reaching at least the semifinals in seven straight seasons (2015-2022) and winning the conference tournament in 2008 and 2018. Velez said establishing the culture will be key to returning to that level of success and beyond.
“Winning will happen,” Velez said. “It’s going to be important for us to buy into the culture. We will focus on the fundamentals of communication, ensuring that it’s executed at a high level. The mental aspects of the game are just as important as the physical ones. It’s crucial that we approach the match with the right mindset, stay focused, and keep our emotions in check.”
Velez graduated from Houston Christian University, formerly Houston Baptist University, with Bachelor of Arts degrees in physical education and management with a background in Marketing and Economics. He has already begun recruiting and moved to Marshall with his son Noah.
