Blinn College names NJCAA Volleyball Hall of Famer its new head coach

NJCAA Volleyball Hall of Famer Terry Gamble has been named head volleyball coach at Blinn College, athletic director Scott Schumacher has announced.

"Terry Gamble is a legend in junior college volleyball and we are pleased that he wants to be part of Blinn College's winning tradition," Schumacher said.

Gamble has coached at the collegiate level for 22 years, where he has compiled an 872-302 record (.742 winning percentage). He was inducted into the NJCAA Volleyball Coaches Hall of Fame in 2007 after winning three NJCAA volleyball championships and three NJCAA Coach of the Year awards.

"I am excited to have an opportunity to coach at Blinn College because I have always thought highly of this school and the program," Gamble said. "I am thankful to the Chancellor, Dr. Mary Hensley; Athletic Director Scott Schumacher; and the hiring committee, and I look forward to working with so many great people. This is another opportunity to be successful and to win national championships while producing quality student athletes."

Gamble comes to Blinn after spending the past four seasons as head coach Jacksonville State University. He previously served as head coach at McNeese State University.

While at Jacksonville State, Gamble took the team to three conference tournaments. Jacksonville State had a top-25 ranking the NCAA Division I women's volleyball poll in 2016-17.

A majority of Gamble's coaching career has been spent at the junior college level. From 2005 to 2008, Gamble served as head coach at Iowa Western Community College. In 2006, Gamble was voted the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) National Coach of the Year after guiding the Reivers to the NJCAA national championship that year. He also was named AVCA Midwest Region Coach of the Year and coached the AVCA Player of the Year in 2006. He took IWCC to a seventh-place finish at the National Championships in 2007 and fourth-place finish in 2008.

Gamble also was head coach at St. Clair County Community College from 1999 to 2004, where he led the Skippers to national championship titles in 2000 and 2004 and to a third-place finish in 2001.

His first coaching stint was at Mott Community College from 1995 to 1998. In 1998, he led Mott to a ninth-place finish at the National Championships.

Gamble had a top-20 national ranking in 14 of his 15 junior college seasons and also was elected to the Port Huron Sports Hall of Fame and Iowa Western Sports Hall of Fame.

Gamble's coaching honors also include three District C Coach of the Year awards, three District D Coach of the Year awards, one District 8 Coach of the Year, seven Regional Coach of the Year honors, and six Conference Coach of the Year accolades. He has won eight regional championships, six state championships and 12 conference championships over his career. 

Gamble has coached 14 All-Americans, 17 Academic All-Americans, three NJCAA National Players of the Year, 17 All-Tournament players, 19 Regional Players of the Year, 33 All-Region Tournament players, 13 conference Players of the Year, 38 All-State/All-Region players, 42 All-Conference players, and 30 All-Conference honorable mention players. He was also selected the president of the NJCAA Coaches Association in 2007.

Blinn has competed in intercollegiate athletics since 1903 and captured 38 NJCAA national championships since 1987.