Texas Border Business
RIO GRANDE VALLEY – The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley Volleyball Head Coach Todd Lowery announced on Tuesday the promotion of Paulina Ramirez, who served as a volunteer assistant in 2020-21, to assistant coach.
Ramirez’s responsibilities will include on-court coaching, assisting with planning the program’s travel and collaborating on the program’s marketing and social media efforts.
“We are excited about the promotion of Paulina,” Lowery said. “She is familiar with the system and what we expect as a program. She is great in the gym, and we are excited to get her out on the road recruiting as well, particularly in Mexico where there are a lot of young talented athletes.”
Ramirez was part of the UTRGV volleyball team as a student-athlete from 2016-19.
She laid the groundwork to become a coach in 2018 while redshirting the season due to injury, as she spent a lot of time absorbing information from the coaches and studying the game from a different perspective.
On the court, Ramirez developed a reputation as a serving ace and was the player UTRGV wanted serving when the score got to 25 or beyond in a set. She served 24 aces in her career, including one on match point while targeting Utah Valley’s best player as a senior. It was the culmination of a career that started with Ramirez winning her first eight serves to spark a come from behind win at Chicago State as a freshman.
Ramirez was also an adept passer, recording 118-career digs, including as many as 14 in a match at California Baptist as a senior.
“I am beyond proud and beyond excited to continue to be part of this volleyball program,” Ramirez said. “My role has transformed so many times on and off the court – as a player, a redshirt player, a volunteer assistant, and now a full-time assistant. I definitely wouldn’t be where I am without my parents who are volleyball coaches, the incredible mentorship from Coach Lowery, [assistant coach] Vini [Baigan], and [RGV Venom Volleyball Director] Missy [Lowery], and the young girls and women I’ve coached in club volleyball for the last five years. Those little ones have taught me who I want to be, how I want to do it, and why I do it.
“UTRGV has always made me feel prepared, safe and included, and I am blessed to have the opportunity to give that to players while creating continued success in the culture of this program that I have seen first-hand and from all angles. I won’t stop and can’t stop being a Vaquero!”
Originally from Monterrey, Mexico, Ramirez graduated from UTRGV in May 2020 with a Bachelor of Arts in Anthropology.
