Completed Event: Women's Soccer at Oklahoma State on September 18, 2025 , Win , 1, to, 0
Final
Women's Soccer
1
at Oklahoma State
0
Photo by: Missy Minear/Kansas Athletics
Ray Bechard Honored at Kansas City Sports Awards
8/15/2025 1:34:00 PM | Women's Volleyball
LAWRENCE, Kan. – Longtime Kansas volleyball head coach Ray Bechard was honored with the T-Mobile Legacy Award at the Kansas City Sports Awards, held on Thursday evening at the Kansas City Marriott Downtown.
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The T-Mobile Legacy Award is given to an individual who has demonstrated sustained success throughout their career in amateur, high school, collegiate or professional sports. This individual exemplifies all the positive aspects of sport and has made a demonstrable impact on the Kansas City community.
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Bechard, a five-time Big 12 Conference Coach of the Year, announced his retirement in December 2024 following 27 seasons at the helm for Kansas volleyball. He's the winningest coach in program history with a record of 496-313, good for a .613 winning percentage. Bechard coached 26 All-Americans during his time at Kansas and led the Jayhawks to 13 NCAA Tournament appearances, including last season as KU advanced to the second round of the tournament.
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A Grinnell, Kansas native, Bechard took the reins of his dream job in 1998 after 13 seasons at Barton County Community College. He rewrote the Kansas volleyball record books, including being named the 2015 National Coach of the Year after leading the Jayhawks to the Final Four. He is also a member of the Kansas Volleyball Association Hall of Fame, the NJCAA Volleyball Coaches Association Hall of Fame and is a three-time AVCA Region Coach of the Year.
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Throughout his Kansas career, Bechard led the Jayhawks to the NCAA Tournament 13 times, including three Sweet 16 appearances and a spot in the National Semifinals in 2015. Kansas also finished the season in the AVCA Top 25 rankings seven times. Prior to his arrival, Kansas had never qualified for the NCAA Tournament. The longtime coach finished his illustrious career in style, posting winning seasons in 16 of his final 17 seasons leading the program. Additionally, during his tenure, Kansas unveiled Horejsi Family Volleyball Arena in 2019, a result of the program's success and popularity under Bechard.
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Bechard's honor is the third for a representative of Kansas Athletics to receive at the Kansas City Sports Awards. The KU men's basketball team was selected as the Sportsmen of the Year after winning the National Championship in 2022, and Bechard's former player Cassie Wait was selected as the Sportswoman of the Year in 2017.Â
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The T-Mobile Legacy Award is given to an individual who has demonstrated sustained success throughout their career in amateur, high school, collegiate or professional sports. This individual exemplifies all the positive aspects of sport and has made a demonstrable impact on the Kansas City community.
Â
Bechard, a five-time Big 12 Conference Coach of the Year, announced his retirement in December 2024 following 27 seasons at the helm for Kansas volleyball. He's the winningest coach in program history with a record of 496-313, good for a .613 winning percentage. Bechard coached 26 All-Americans during his time at Kansas and led the Jayhawks to 13 NCAA Tournament appearances, including last season as KU advanced to the second round of the tournament.
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A Grinnell, Kansas native, Bechard took the reins of his dream job in 1998 after 13 seasons at Barton County Community College. He rewrote the Kansas volleyball record books, including being named the 2015 National Coach of the Year after leading the Jayhawks to the Final Four. He is also a member of the Kansas Volleyball Association Hall of Fame, the NJCAA Volleyball Coaches Association Hall of Fame and is a three-time AVCA Region Coach of the Year.
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Throughout his Kansas career, Bechard led the Jayhawks to the NCAA Tournament 13 times, including three Sweet 16 appearances and a spot in the National Semifinals in 2015. Kansas also finished the season in the AVCA Top 25 rankings seven times. Prior to his arrival, Kansas had never qualified for the NCAA Tournament. The longtime coach finished his illustrious career in style, posting winning seasons in 16 of his final 17 seasons leading the program. Additionally, during his tenure, Kansas unveiled Horejsi Family Volleyball Arena in 2019, a result of the program's success and popularity under Bechard.
Â
Bechard's honor is the third for a representative of Kansas Athletics to receive at the Kansas City Sports Awards. The KU men's basketball team was selected as the Sportsmen of the Year after winning the National Championship in 2022, and Bechard's former player Cassie Wait was selected as the Sportswoman of the Year in 2017.Â
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