Volleyball

Paty Figueiredo began her tenure as the third head volleyball coach in the 16-year history of the Cardinal volleyball program on Feb. 24, 2025.

Figueiredo, who led Missouri State University-West Plains to a 37-6 record and fifth-place finish at the 2024 NJCAA tournament in her second season,  replaces Aleah Hayes, who resigned after a successful six-year tenure.

“We are incredibly excited that Paty and her husband Robson are joining the Cardinal family,” Kite said. “Former head coach Aleah Hayes set a very high standard of excellence for Cardinal volleyball, and we believe Coach Paty is going to continue to carry that standard and push the program to a new level.

“Her track record at MSU-West Plains shows that she can build a program that can compete at a national level and her accomplishments as an NJCAA All American while playing allows her to understand the junior college student-athlete.”

Figueiredo, a former MSU-West Plains player, was named the head coach there in 2023 after having served as an assistant coach the season before. She was 17-18 as head coach her first season before the dramatic turnaround this past season.

She began her MSU-West Plains playing career in 2008, leading the nation in assists as a freshman and helping the Grizzlies to a seventh-place finish at the national tournament. As a sophomore, Figueiredo played a vital role (leading the team in assists and being third in points scored) in the Grizzlies reaching the NJCAA championship match.

After graduating from MSU-WP, she transferred to Florida State University, where she played for the Seminoles and earned a bachelor's degree in economics with a minor in business. Figueiredo was an impact player at FSU, helping the Seminoles finish 22-11 in 2010, while advancing to the second round of the NCAA tournament. They lost to No. 1 overall seed Florida in five sets, losing 17-15 in the fifth.

Coaching opportunities took her to the University of Texas-El Paso, where she earned a master's degree in leadership and communication, and Montana State University-Northern in Havre.

Before returning to MSU-WP in 2022, she spent a season as the director of volleyball operations and varsity coach at Montverde Academy in Montverde, Fla.

The Cardinals, who made a third straight trip to the national tournament, were 24-16 this past season, including a 3-0 loss to Figueiredo’s MSU-West Plains squad.

“We believe Trinity Valley Community College has raised the bar with Coach Paty as the next head volleyball coach,” Kite said.