Kearney Public Schools Announces Kris Conner as New Head Volleyball Coach at Kearney High School

KEARNEY, Neb. — Kearney Public Schools is proud to announce that Kris Conner has been named the new Head Volleyball Coach at Kearney High School.

Coach Conner brings decades of experience, leadership, and a passion for the game to the Bearcat volleyball program. Renowned for developing competitive, character-driven teams, she has built a legacy of excellence, emphasizing teamwork, discipline, and sportsmanship.

“We are truly honored and excited to welcome Coach Conner as the next Head Coach of the Bearcat Volleyball program,” said Kearney High School Athletic Director Ryan Hogue. “She is one of the most accomplished and respected coaches in Nebraska volleyball history, and her track record of success speaks for itself. Coach Conner’s relentless competitive spirit, emphasis on fundamentals, and ability to build championship-level culture will elevate our program and every athlete within it. Her leadership will have a lasting impact on Kearney High School and position our volleyball program to compete at the highest level.”

“Returning to Kearney is a special opportunity,” Conner said. “This community has always been a place that values excellence, hard work, and tradition—qualities that I hope to carry on. Coach Brand has done a tremendous job moving the program in a positive direction, and I’m eager to build on that momentum. I look forward to working with our administration, athletes, staff, and community to continue growing the Bearcat volleyball tradition.”

Conner is one of the most accomplished volleyball coaches in Nebraska high school history, boasting a career record of 797–257, the second-most wins among active Nebraska coaches. Over her 32-year tenure as head coach at Kearney Catholic High School, her teams qualified for the state tournament 19 times, capturing four state championships and three runner-up finishes. A National Coach of the Year finalist this past year, Coach Conner has guided 32 athletes to continue their careers at the collegiate level, including four All-Americans and one National Player of the Year.

Before Kearney Catholic, Conner began her coaching career at Fort Calhoun, leading the program for three years. Her career has been marked by a consistent commitment to developing student-athletes both on and off the court, instilling perseverance, teamwork, and leadership in her players.

“Coach Conner has a proven track record of success and a reputation for building programs around fundamental skills, discipline, and accountability,” added Hogue. “Her stellar career at Kearney Catholic and recent success at Riverside speaks for itself. She consistently develops high-performing teams and helps student-athletes reach their full potential. We are truly honored to have her continue her coaching journey with the Bearcats.”

A native of Primrose, Nebraska, Conner most recently served at Riverside Public Schools, where she also worked in educational technology and led the volleyball program to a 44-16 record over two seasons, improving a team that had gone 12-14 before her arrival. Her return to Kearney represents a homecoming to the community where she has left an indelible mark on high school volleyball.

Coach Conner and her husband Doug come from a family deeply rooted in volleyball: their daughter Shay is the assistant volleyball coach at Washburn University, Sydney is a senior setter on Washburn’s volleyball team, and Zac is a freshman at the University of Nebraska at Kearney.