ABILENE – Former Abilene Christian University women’s basketball standout Brenda Andress has been hired as the new girls’ basketball coach at Abilene High School. Andress was introduced to the local media Monday afternoon, along with four other new AISD head coaches.
Andress – a 2001 ACU graduate who played at ACU as Brenda Jacoby – has been a teacher at Abilene High the last two years after moving from the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex where she lived and worked from 2006-19. Andress has coached at Sierra High School (Colo.), Fort Worth Christian School and Richland High School.
“I am truly honored for the opportunity to join and lead the Abilene High Lady Eagles,” Andress said. “These young ladies bring a lot of talent and dedication, and I am so excited to get to work and see what all we can accomplish this season. We have a great staff on board, as well as a solid foundation of Eagle pride to build on.”
Andress was a three-year captain at ACU and played on back-to-back Lone Star Conference championship teams as a freshman in 1997-98 and as a sophomore in 1998-99. She was an honorable mention all-LSC selection in 1999-2000 and a second team all-conference pick as a senior in 2001-02. After her playing career ended, she spent one season as a teacher and assistant volleyball coach at Sierra High School in Colorado Springs, Colo.
She returned to ACU to serve one season (2003-04) as a graduate assistant coach for the women’s basketball program. She served at Fort Worth Christian School from 2006-14 as the varsity basketball assistant and head JV coach, and assistant coach in volleyball, track and field and golf. She was also the middle school girls’ athletics coordinator.
Fort Worth Christian was a six-time district champion (2005-12) with Andress on the staff and won the 205-06 Texas Association of Private and Parochial Schools (TAPPS) Class 5A state champion in 2005-06.
She then moved to Richland High School in the Birdville ISD where she spent four years (2005-19) as the varsity basketball assistant coach, head JV coach and assistant cross country coach. While at Richland, she helped the team reached the Class 6A regional quarterfinals in 2018-19.
“I am excited to welcome Brenda Andress as the next girls’ basketball coach at Abilene High,” AHS principal Emme Siburt said. “She brings passion and experience, not only as a collegiate player, but as an experienced coach. Brenda will be a great addition to our coaching staff as the leader of the girls’ basketball program.”
Andress is a 2001 graduate of ACU with a Bachelor of Science in secondary education. She received her Master’s in Education from the University of Texas-Arlington in 2020, graduating with a 4.0 GPA.
