Tanya Ray
Tanya Ray
  • Title:
    Head Coach
  • Phone:
    210-431-4106
  • Email:
    tray@ollusa.edu
  • Year:
    2nd Season
  • Previous College:
    St. Mary's University

Bio

TANYA RAY started her tenure at Our Lady of the Lake University as Head Coach for the women’s basketball team in May 2022. The Saints went 15-13 overall and 12-8 in the Red River Athletic Conference (RRAC) in Ray's first season. The team saw early success after winning the first five conference games. OLLU qualified for the RRAC Postseason Tournament and lost to Xavier University of Louisiana in the quarterfinals. 
 
Ray comes to OLLU after three seasons at NCAA D1 University of the Incarnate Word in San Antonio. At UIW, Ray organized and oversaw all aspects of recruiting and assisted with on-court coaching, team defense and opponent scouting. She also coordinated the university’s Elite Camp. She helped the team achieve its most wins since moving to D1 from D2 status, and helped the women to their first-ever postseason appearance as a D1 school. In addition, Ray helped lead the team to its first-ever Southland Conference tournament win, championship and NCAA tournament bid.

Before UIW, Ray was the head coach at the University of Arkansas-Monticello. She coached seven All-Conference student-athletes as part of the Great American Conference (GAC). She also coached a GAC Freshman of the Year, a two-time All-Conference selection and an NCAA D2 All-American. Ray’s team also finished fifth all-time and third in GAC history in scoring. Her teams qualified for the postseason tournament five times, and she had 12 All-Academic selections.   

Ray’s other coaching positions include assistant coach at Arkansas State University, Oklahoma State University – Stillwater and Blinn College.   During her time at Arkansas State, Ray helped lead the team to 155 wins and 17 wins per year. The team marked three 20-win seasons while Ray was there. In 2003-2004, the Red Wolves captured their first Sun Belt Conference East Division championship. The following year, Arkansas State advanced to the second round of the Women’s National Invitational Tournament (WNIT). In 2006-2007, the Red Wolves made their third postseason appearance in four years, advancing to the second round of the WNIT before falling on the road to eventual runner-up Wisconsin.   While with the Arkansas State, Ray coached 14 all-conference selections, two WNBA Pre-Draft Camp participants and four professional contract signees.  

Before Arkansas State, Ray served two seasons, from 2000 to 2002, as an assistant coach at Oklahoma State University in Stillwater, Okla. There, she was the team’s film exchange coordinator and helped with on-court coaching, recruiting and travel organization.  

Ray’s first coaching position was as an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator for Blinn College in Brenham, Texas, from 2009 to 2010. She helped guide the team to a 23-8 overall record and an appearance in the regional semifinals, where they lost to eventual national champion, Tyler Junior College.  

Ray’s playing career consisted of four years at Brenham High School, one-year at the University of Texas at San Antonio and South Plains College of Levelland, Texas, and two years at St. Mary’s University.  

The Brenham, Texas, native received a bachelor’s degree in Exercise-Sport Science from St. Mary’s University, and she earned an associate’s degree in General Studies from South Plains College.