Head coach Ray Bechard was a fixture at the helm of Kansas volleyball for 27 seasons.
The work he did to elevate the Jayhawks’ program is evident in the fact that they continue to contend for the Big 12 and in the national tournament each year. Now there will be a tangible reminder of that progress, as KU renames the court at Horejsi Family Volleyball Arena after him.
The arena, which opened in 2019 during Bechard’s tenure, will now feature the Ray Bechard Court, KU Athletics announced on Wednesday morning.
“Naming the court in honor of Coach Bechard was an absolute no-brainer,” KU athletic director Travis Goff said in a press release. “Kansas Volleyball simply would not be what it is today without Ray. His extraordinary impact extends far beyond the success he built on the court-he has shaped this program, strengthened our university and positively influenced generations of Jayhawks.
“Few people have left a more meaningful legacy at Kansas. It is only fitting that the court he helped make so special will forever bear his name, and we could not be more proud to honor Coach Bechard and his family in this way.”
After joining KU from Barton County Community College in 1998, Bechard compiled a career record of 498-313, for a .613 win percentage, before retiring after the conclusion of the 2024 season. He coached 12 players to American Volleyball Coaches Association All-American honors, including first-teamers Ainise Havili and Kelsie Payne.
Bechard, a Grinnell native, led the Jayhawks to the NCAA Tournament on 13 occasions, including six in a row, and most notably in the 2015 season when KU reached the Final Four for the best year in program history (and one of the best seasons put together by any KU program other than men’s basketball). The following year, he earned the Jayhawks’ first and only conference title. In all, he was named Big 12 coach of the year on five occasions.
“It’s pretty overwhelming to be honest,” Bechard said of his latest honor. “You’d like to think that over 27 years you made an impression and that people appreciate the body of work and all the effort you put into it. Certainly, this is a lot more than we could have imagined.”
Current KU volleyball coach Matt Ulmer, now in his second season at the helm after arriving from Oregon, has spoken in the past of the support he has received from Bechard. KU will unveil the newly renamed court ahead of Friday’s match against Houston, set for 6 p.m.
A view of Horejsi Family Volleyball Arena on Friday, Sept. 11, 2026 at Horejsi Family Volleyball Arena in Lawrence.
Parker I. Johnson/Special to the Journal-World