• David Tewes •
• Originally published January 13, 2009 at 9:19 a.m., updated January 13, 2009 at 9:19 a.m.

The Faith Academy Lady Cougars will have a new but familiar face coaching its volleyball team this year.

Suzanne Valenzuela comes to Faith Academy from St. Joseph where she has been the head coach for a winning program for the past five years.

"We are very excited about the addition of Suzanne Valenzuela to our coaching family," Faith Academy Athletic Director Matt McLeod said Monday. "Her coaching resume speaks volumes to her abilities, and we are ready for her to take our program to the next level."

At St. Joseph, Valenzuela's teams won four district championships and made five playoff appearances, including a trip to the TAPPS state tournament. The former District Coach of the Year and 1983 Stroman High School graduate also coaches the Victoria Lady Dynamites, a volleyball program for girls ages 12-18.

Valenzuela replaces the coaching tandem of Elizabeth Cox and Kelsey Wyant, who have led the Lady Cougars for the past two seasons. McLeod said neither coach had planned to returning for the 2009 season.

"Coach Cox and Coach Wyant did an excellent job for us the last two years," McLeod said. "Their seven-match improvement from last year to this year was remarkable, but at the same time we understood that their schedules would preclude them from making the same time commitment next season. And we feel very fortunate to have Coach Valenzuela available to step in their place."

The Faith Academy varsity volleyball team lost only one letter-winner from this year's team. First-team all-district performers Emily Graff and Ashley Tyau are among those returning this season.

The Lady Cougars finished in third place in TAPPS 9-2A and nearly knocked off the state's number-two ranked team, Conroe Covenant, in the bi-district playoffs.

Valenzuela's duties will begin immediately, including scheduling and overseeing the off-season program. Cox will also remain on the coaching staff as the junior varsity head coach and varsity assistant.

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