Jacksonville State University head women’s volleyball coach (both indoor and on the beach) Terry Gamble has been terminated from his position. Gamble has been the head coach of the Division I program in Jacksonville, Alabama since the 2014-2015 season. Sources tell VolleyMob that the team was informed via email on Friday, with a team meeting scheduled for Monday. The email said that they informed the athletes that the “University is making a change in leadership in our volleyball program, effective immediately.”
He came to JSU after a successful Junior College coaching career where he complied a 799-236 record and was elected into the NJCAA Volleyball Coaches Hall of Fame in 2007. That included 3 NJCAA national championships and 3 NJCAA Coach of the Year awards.
In 2014, he took over a team that was just 13-18 the prior season and led them to an 18-16 finish – their first winning record in 4 years. After two more losing seasons, the Gamecocks finished 23-13 before falling to 3rd-seeded Murray State in the opening round of the Ohio Valley Conference championship tournament.
The beach team, now in its 3rd year of existence, finished with just a 3-26 record this season, with all 3 of those wins coming against Division II or Division III teams.
The indoor team has seen a high rate of attrition more recently in Gamble’s tenure. Of the 9 freshmen on the 2016 roster, only 6 returned as sophomores in 2017. Only 3 of the 5 2015 freshmen made it to their junior season in 2017. This comes amid a drastic expansion of the team’s roster – from only 12 players listed on the roster in his first season with the program to 18 in 2017.
Whomever takes over this role will see Jacksonville State’s beach team into the ASUN conference, where they’ll be one of 3 new teams next season, as well as through a transitory phase for the indoor team after the Pete Mathews Coliseum was damaged by a tornado in March.
We have reached out to both Gamble and Jacksonville State for comment, and neither have replied as of publishing.
Gamble’s Year-by-Year Coaching Records
Jacksonville State (4 years)
2017 23-13 9-7 Ohio Valley (t5th)
2016 18-19 6-10 Ohio Valley (8th)
2015: 14-20 5-11 Ohio Valley (10th)
2014: 18-16 9-7 Ohio Valley (4th)
McNeese State (4 years)
2013: 17-16 9-9 Southland (6th)
2012: 7-25 1-17 Southland (10th)
2011: 10-20 5-11 Southland (t8th)
2010: 14-18 8-8 Southland (t6th)
Midland Lutheran (1 year)
2009: 8-18
Iowa Western CC (4 years)
2008: 54-6
2007: 58-5
2006: 60-4 *NJCAA National Champions
2005: 45-8
St. Clair CC (6 years)
2004: 62-3 *NJCAA National Champions
2003: 53-12
2002: 45-21
2001: 64-7
2000: 73-2 *NJCAA National Champions
1999: 53-15
Mott CC (4 years)
1998: 55-12
1997: 37-16
1996: 51-10
1995: 33-18
Total 872-304 (.742)
Unfortunately, the volleyball girls have been given little information about their future at JSU. Many girls that had not had their NLI finalized don’t have a spot on the indoor and/or beach teams. We are approaching May with most athletes already finalizing their class schedules, financial aid and housing and they potential will loss their spot to play volleyball. Very disappointing for a college that is known to be the “friendless campus of the South.”
Was he a brut? Or what?
About time Jacksonville State took action. A long time coming. I do feel for girls that are without a team. There are also many girls who were forced out by Coach. Many with life time injuries mentally and physically. I do hope the new coach keeps the current girls and turns this program around. The few girls that are left need a happy place.
My daughter was a new recruit and University officially told her she has not place on this team. With six weeks due to report she is now scrambling to figure out where she will go to school. Very traumatic
This is horrible for your daughter. My daughter’s friend is a transfer this season and will be playing beach volleyball at JSU. Thankfully, she had signed her NLI and was still able to attend JSU and play beach volleyball. Best of Luck to your daughter. This has been very difficult for many of the girls.
I promise you that your daughter is much better off without playing for Terry Gamble.
I think that JSU has dismissed Coach Gamble without just cause, two of my girls played for him, he is a winning coach and the problem is with the girls that think they should play and can’t and the parents. He was there to win and the team that he had would have gone a long ways this year. I wish the new coach well. Coach Gamble was a coach and did what he was paid to do, coach and teach. The girls had a great academic record.
I agree with Dave. I also played for Coach Gamble many many moons ago and have kept in touch and followed his career.. Some kids can’t handle his program as it’s very hard – but his record of success and national championships and HOF status show his program is successful. Good luck to the new JSU coach and team.
His record over the last 10 years is 129-165. No conference championships.
Terry Gamble is by far one of THE best coaches around. I played for him for years and it’s sad that athletes these days can’t handle criticism and intensity on the court.. Both of those things can and are often misconstrued to be overbearing or “mean”. Can’t be considered one of the best if you can’t train with some of the best.