Entering her 20th season at the helm of UTSA volleyball in 2021, head coach Laura Neugebauer-Groff has turned the Roadrunners’ program into a powerhouse, becoming one of the most highly respected coaches in college athletics and UTSA program history.
A member of the 17th induction class of the San Antonio Sports Hall of Fame in February 2011, she has tutored 50 all-conference players (25 first-teamers) and 34 all-academic honorees, including Southland Student-Athletes of the Year Meagan Daniel (2005) and Kelsey Jewasko (2011). She also has tutored the Roadrunners’ only three All-Americans in program history — McKenzie Adams, Dajana Boskovic and Jessica Waldrip. Under her guidance, UTSA has advanced to 14 consecutive conference tournaments and the program has been honored with the AVCA’s Team Academic Award four times since 2008.
Neugebauer-Groff is the program’s winningest head coach with 308 victories and has amassed a head coaching record of 580-295 in 24 seasons.
Last year, the Roadrunners earned a 16-win season, using a strong collection of newcomers and veterans. Kara Teal and Brianna McCulloch completed their Roadrunner careers as tremendous offensive weapons, while Neugebauer-Groff began to implement youth into the lineup behind freshmen Bianca Ejesieme and Courtney Walters and sophomores Hannah Lopez and Kirby Smith.
The Roadrunners posted a 19-win season in 2019 that saw them finish second in the Conference USA standings. UTSA was boosted by C-USA Freshman of the Year Kirby Smith and all-conference selections in Amanda Gonzales and Kara Teal. In 2016, Neugebauer-Groff directed UTSA to its seventh consecutive 20-plus win season with a 20-8 overall mark and two all-conference selections in Boskovic and Marijeta Runjic. In 2015, she guided the Roadrunners to their second straight C-USA regular season crown. The team reached new strides as the Roadrunners picked up the program’s first-ever win over Texas A&M in College Station. The Roadrunners also accomplished a win over Baylor at the UTSA Classic, a feat that had not been done since the 1990 season. At season’s end, her offense ranked in the top-50 in the NCAA as the Roadrunners ranked 30thin kills per set (13.95) and 47thin assists per set (12.90).
During the 2014 campaign, Neugebauer-Groff guided UTSA to a 20-9 overall mark and 15-1 C-USA finish. She was recognized as the Conference USA Coach of the Year in 2014, along with mentoring the league’s Setter of the Year, Jessica Waldrip. Her most successful year at the helm was during the 2013 season. The Roadrunners finished 24-8 with a 13-1 mark in conference play. Competing in its inaugural C-USA season, UTSA captured both the league’s regular season and tournament championship. The Roadrunners advanced to their second NCAA Tournament under Groff, and third overall, where they lost to in-state neighbor Texas A&M in the first round in Austin.
In 2012, the Roadrunners posted a 21-9 record overall and finished 13-5 in their one and only season in the Western Athletic Conference (WAC), which was good for a second-place tie in the league standings. The Birds reached the WAC Tournament semifinals and UTSA garnered numerous individual accolades during the campaign.
Adams picked up the program’s first All-America honor and was named AVCA All-West Region and the WAC Player of the Year. Freshman Annie Kunes also was named the league’s first-ever Libero of the Year. UTSA ranked third in the nation with 18.94 digs per set and the Roadrunners also led the circuit with 14.35 kills and 13.26 assists per frame. One year prior, Neugebauer-Groff led the Roadrunners to their second consecutive Southland Conference Tournament championship match and 22 victories. During the campaign, UTSA swept a program-record 12 consecutive opponents. The Roadrunners also boasted a league-high four first-team All-Southland selections, including Schwirtlich, who was named Setter of the Year, and Adams, who earned Newcomer of the Year laurels. Meanwhile, Jewasko, who earned a pair of Academic All- America honors, became the program’s all-time leader in digs (2,280).
UTSA had a banner year in 2010, as Neugebauer-Groff led the team to 22 wins, the most during her tenure. She earned her 400th career victory in the Southland Tournament opener against McNeese State before guiding her squad to the program’s second tournament championship and NCAA Tournament appearance. The Birds posted a 13-3 mark in league play and won the Southland’s West Division title. Jewasko earned her second Southland Libero of the Year award in the last three seasons and Kendra Rowland and Schwirtlich joined her by collecting first-team All-Southland honors. Meanwhile, Briana Mason and Whitney Walls each garnered honorable mention accolades. A trio of players received more awards after UTSA defeated regular season champion Central Arkansas in five sets in the tournament championship match. Rowland was named the event’s Most Valuable Player, while Walls and Schwirtlich made the All-Tournament Team. Neugebauer-Groff took her team to Gregory Gymnasium in Austin, where she faced her alma mater, Texas, but the Roadrunners fell to the sixth-ranked Longhorns in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.
Neugebauer-Groff became the winningest coach in program history on Sept. 8, 2009 when she notched victory number 115 against Cal State Bakersfield. Three players — Walls (second team), Jewasko (honorable mention) and Rowland (honorable mention) — earned All-Southland Conference honors. UTSA posted 19 wins in 2008. Rowland and Jewasko both earned first-team All-Southland accolades and Jewasko was named the league’s Libero of the Year, the first honoree in school history. Stefanie Robbins was tabbed the conference’s Newcomer of the Year and she joined Amber Brooks as an All-Southland honorable mention selection.
Neugebauer-Groff posted her 300th career victory in the 2005 season opener against Delaware and led the Roadrunners to an 18-11 record, a 10-1 mark at the Convocation Center and a berth in the Southland Tournament championship match. In 2003, she led UTSA to a remarkable turnaround, winning more than twice as many matches than the previous season en route to a 19-14 record and a 13-7 mark in league play. The young squad, which included eight freshmen, finished tied for fourth in the league standings and advanced to the semifinals of the postseason
tournament.
Prior to UTSA, Neugebauer-Groff held brief stints at Hondo High School (1988-90) and at Texas A&M (assistant coach/1990-92), before she accepted the head coaching position at St. Mary’s University. It was there that she put together a sparkling 256-62 (.805) record and three national tournament appearances during her eight-year tenure. Neugebauer-Groff finished her stay with a 35-5 mark, the 2000 Heartland Conference Championship and league Coach of the Year honors for the fifth time.
When she began her tenure at St. Mary’s, Neugebauer-Groff signed on as the Director of the Alamo Volleyball Club. She held that position from 1993-2006 and continues to be an active participant in developing volleyball in South Texas. Her local contributions have not gone unnoticed, as she was one of five recipients of the 2006 Robert L. Lindsay Meritorious Service Award (presented annually to USA Volleyball members who make outstanding contributions in the area of regional operations).
Before Neugebauer-Groff was a household coaching name, she was a former All-American at the University of Texas. During her collegiate career, she served as captain and guided the Longhorns to four Southwest Conference Championships from 1982-85. In 1992, she was named to the league’s All-Decade team, and in 2002, the San Antonio Express-News named her one of its most influential people in women’s sports.
Neugebauer-Groff was also a member of the National Sports Festival squad in 1983 and participated at the 1995 World University Games in Japan. From 1986-87, she played professionally for the West German Volleyball League before joining the Chicago Breeze a year later. Neugebauer-Groff has been an annual participant in the United States Volleyball Association National Tournament since 1987.
Neugebauer-Groff also was a part of Jefferson High School’s inaugural Hall of Fame and Distinguished Alumni Class in May 2007 and a member of the UIL’s All-Century third team in 2009.
“I feel like I’ve come full circle,” Neugebauer-Groff said when she was hired in 2002. “As a former Texas player to be back in the University of Texas system and also in San Antonio is like a dream come true. “She graduated from Texas in 1986 with a bachelor’s degree in physical education and received her master’s degree in educational leadership from St. Mary’s in 1996.
Neugebauer-Groff has two children, Jacob and Madison.
The Neugebauer-Groff File
· Hometown: San Antonio, Texas
· Alma mater: Texas, 1986
Coaching Highlights
· Winningest coach in program history with 233 victories
· 2014 Conference USA Coach of the Year
· 2014 Conference USA Setter of the Year Jessica Waldrip
· 2014 AVCA Honorable Mention All-Americans Dajana Boskovic and Jessica Waldrip
· Let UTSA to its third-ever NCAA Tournament appearance after winning the 2013 Conference USA Tournament
· 2013 AVCA Honorable Mention All-American and WAC Player of the Year McKenzie Adams
· 2012 AVCA honorable mention All-American, AVCA All-West Region and WAC Player of the Year McKenzie Adams
· 2012 WAC Libero of the Year Annie Kunes
· Led UTSA to its second-ever second NCAA Tournament appearance after winning the 2010 Southland Conference Tournament
· 2011 Southland Newcomer of the Year McKenzie Adams
· 2011 Southland Setter of the Year Kelsey Schwirtlich
· 2010 Southland Tournament Most Valuable Player Kendra Rowland
· 2008 & '10 Southland Libero of the Year Kelsey Jewasko
· 2008 Southland Conference Newcomer of the Year Stefanie Robbins
· 2005 Southland Student-Athlete of the Year Meagan Daniel
· 2003 Southland Freshman of the Year Meagan Daniel
· 50 all-conference selections, including 20 first teamers
· 32 conference all-academic honorees
| Neugebauer-Groff's Year-by-Year Record | |||
| Year | School | Record | Conference |
| 1993 | St. Mary's | 31-8 | 11-3 (2nd) |
| 1994 | St. Mary's | 44-6 | 12-2 (2nd) |
| 1995 | St. Mary's | 40-6 | 13-1 (1st) |
| 1996 | St. Mary's | 33-3 | 15-1 (1st) |
| 1997 | St. Mary's | 28-13 | 10-4 (t-2nd) |
| 1998 | St. Mary's | 23-11 | 8-2 (2nd) |
| 1999 | St. Mary's | 22-10 | independent |
| 2000 | St. Mary's | 35-5 | 11-0 (1st) |
| 2002 | UTSA | 8-24 | 6-14 (t-8th/SLC) |
| 2003 | UTSA | 19-14 | 13-7 (t-4th/SLC) |
| 2004 | UTSA | 16-16 | 12-8 (t-4th/SLC) |
| 2005 | UTSA | 18-12 | 12-6 (t-3rd/SLC) |
| 2006 | UTSA | 19-13 | 11-5 (3rd/SLC West) |
| 2007 | UTSA | 13-21 | 5-11 (t-4th/SLC West) |
| 2008 | UTSA | 19-12 | 11-5 (3rd/SLC West) |
| 2009 | UTSA | 12-19 | 7-9 (5th/SLC West) |
| 2010 | UTSA | 22-12 | 13-3 (1st/SLC West) |
| 2011 | UTSA | 22-11 | 14-2 (2nd/SLC West) |
| 2012 | UTSA | 21-9 | 13-5 (t-2nd/WAC) |
| 2013 | UTSA | 24-8 | 13-1 (1st/C-USA) |
| 2014 | UTSA | 20-9 | 15-1 (t-1st/C-USA) |
| 2015 | UTSA | 24-9 | 13-3 (1st/C-USA) |
| 2016 | UTSA | 20-8 | 10-4 (1st/C-USA) |
| 2017 | UTSA | 12-16 | 9-5 (4th/C-USA) |
| 2018 | UTSA | 19-8 | 11-3 (2nd/C-USA) |
| 2019 | UTSA | 16-13 | 8-6 (6th/C-USA) |
| 2020 | UTSA | 7-11 | 5-7 (5th-West/C-USA) |
| To29tals | 23 seasons | 533-258 (.674) | 277-196 (.586) |