Bri Strong

Bri Strong is in her sixth season as an assistant coach with the Maverick indoor volleyball program at Colorado Mesa University in Grand Junction, Colorado, and in her third season serving as the program’s top assistant. She officially joined the athletic staff in March 2020, initially contributing to both the indoor and beach volleyball teams before focusing exclusively on indoor in recent seasons. In her first year, Strong helped the outdoor beach squad record their first-ever win over a Pac-12 opponent while the indoor team captured the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference (RMAC) regular-season title. Strong’s contributions have helped sustain high performance across both arenas: in 2021-22 the beach program won the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) Small College Division II national championship while the indoor squad also reached the NCAA Division II Tournament. The following season, the indoor squad advanced to the semifinals of the NCAA South Central Regional and the beach team set a program-record 19 dual wins while finishing as national runners-up. Strong earned national recognition as a member of the AVCA Thirty Under 30 Beach Award in the spring of 2021. Prior to her role at Colorado Mesa, Strong served for five seasons (2015-19) at her hometown institution, Cornell College in Mount Vernon, Iowa, where she was assistant coach of the indoor program, overseeing defensive strategy and training of middle blockers. While there, the program earned Midwest Conference regular-season titles each year and made NCAA Division III appearances. As a collegiate athlete herself, Strong played at the University of Northern Colorado (Greeley) from 2010-14 (including a redshirt year), helping the team to three Big Sky Conference Championships and three NCAA Division I Tournament appearances. She earned all-conference honors in 2013 and 2014 and still holds the school record for career attack percentage (.330). Outside the volleyball court, Strong enjoys hiking, camping, backpacking, and fishing, and brings a blend of competitive pedigree and outdoor-oriented mindset to her coaching role.