To replace Mike Tyree as girls volleyball coach, the Borgia administration turned to a young coach, who has built up a track record of success at the college and club levels.
Brad Bruns, who led East Central College to three District O titles in four seasons after restarting the program there, is the new coach for the Lady Knights, Borgia Athletic Director Kurt Russell confirmed Tuesday afternoon.
Tyree retired for a second time following the 2011 season. He won nine state titles with the Lady Knights in two stints from 1987-2011.
Bruns has history with Borgia. He was an assistant there in 2004 and 2005 under Tyree, helping the team win its ninth, and most recent, Class 3 state title in 2005.
After that, Bruns took the head coaching position at Fontbonne University. He left that position to restart the East Central College program in 2007. Over four seasons, Bruns led ECC to a 118-57 record for a .674 winning percentage. ECC never finished lower than second in the NJCAA Division II District O Tournament during his tenure.
Bruns led the 2008, 2009 and 2010 teams to the national tournament, finishing 11th in 2010. That team went 37-9 overall and was undefeated in the Midwest Community College Athletic Conference.
Citing a desire to spend more time with his family, Bruns took a season off in 2011, but has come back in the club volleyball ranks as Show Me Volleyball Academy’s club director and assistant coach for the SMVA 15 Elite team, which recently won the USA Volleyball Gateway Region championship, qualifying for the USA Volleyball Girls’ Junior National Championships.
Previously, he was technical director for Rockwood Thunder.
Bruns received the USA Volleyball Gateway Region’s Dennis Lafata award for meritorious service to volleyball on the regional level.
At Borgia, Bruns inherits a program which reached the MSHSAA Class 3 sectional level last season, losing to eventual Class 3 state champion Villa Duchesne.
Borgia graduated two players from last year’s team, Baylor recruit Kristina Fitzpatrick and libero Bryggen Korte, from last year’s 20-11-3 team.
More information will be in the Weekend Missourian.
