Ray Sanders, has been the volleyball coach for MCC since 2005. He joined the staff, when head coach, Lauren Sanders, took the lead of the program.
Coach Sanders’ primary responsibilities include recruiting and statistics. In 2014 and 2021, he was awarded the American Volleyball Coaches Association/National Christian College Athletic Association National Assistant Coach of the Year Award.
Ray is originally from Phoenix, AZ and is an MCC alum with a degree in Management and Ethics. He works at Ekart Automotive, in Manhattan, KS. He and Lauren have two children, Tucker and Nash.
As coaches go, Lauren Sanders is one of the best. During the pandemic stricken 2020 season she led her team to a 16-3 overall record that included a perfect 6-0 in conference play. The ladies won the Midwest Christian College Conference regular season title without dropping a single set and turned that success into a conference tournament championship, again, without losing a single set. That regular season success earned the Thunder the #1 overall seed at the NCCAA SW Region Tournament and resulted in an at-large selection to the NCCAA DII National Tournament. While the ladies were unable to attend due to COVID-19, the fact that the team persevered throughout was a direct testament to the job that Coach Sanders did of managing her team and giving them the best chance to win each night out. Coach Sanders was named the NCCAA DII National Coach of the Year on Wednesday morning for the second time in her career (2012). and is every bit deserving.
"Congratulations to Coach Sanders on being named NCCAA DII National Coach of the Year! It goes without saying, but having a coach of her caliber leading our women's volleyball team is a blessing for the college and we could not be more proud," commented Jordan Strom, Director of Athletics.
Along with claiming the National Coach of the Year, the ladies picked up more national honors with sophomore, Brenna Flax, and junior, Grace Marozas, earning 2nd Team All-America honors. Marozas along with junior, Grace Kuenzi, and senior, Kennedy Wilson, earned Scholar-Athlete recognition.
National Coach of the Year: Lauren Sanders
NCCAA 2nd Team All-America: Brenna Flax, Grace Marozas
NCCAA Scholar-Athletes: Grace Marozas, Grace Kuenzi, Kennedy Wilson
See full list of awards here.
Lauren Sanders is the head coach for the Manhattan Christian College Lady Thunder. Coach Sanders has been the head coach of the Thunder Volleyball program at MCC for twenty seasons with an overall record of 462 wins and 186 losses.
With Coach Sanders leading the program, the volleyball program has won 11 Midwest Christian College Conference (MCCC) Regular Season Championships, 8 MCCC Tournament Championships, 10 NCCAA Central Regional Championships and qualified the NCCAA National Tournament 15 times. The Lady Thunder finished in the Final Four at the NCCAA National Tournament in 2008, 2009, 2013 and 2021, and 2022 and 2024. In 2023, MCC finished as the NCCAA DII National Runner Up. Coach Sanders was named Regional Coach of the Year in 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2012, 2013 and 2014, 2020, 2021, 2023, and 2024, and the NCCAA National Coach of the Year in 2012, 2020 and 2023. She was also awarded the AVCA/NCCAA National Coach of the Year in 2023.
Coach Sanders’ goal is “Reaching for Excellence.” She plans to continue to work to build a strong, competitive program that will always be reaching for excellence, on and off the court.
Before coming to MCC, Coach Sanders played for the Sterling College volleyball team from 1999-2001 and the Kansas State University Club Volleyball team from 2003-2004. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Public Health Nutrition from Kansas State University. She has attended the Gold Medal Squared Coaching Program as well as received her IMPACT coaching certification. Coach Sanders worked as the Director of Dining Services for 12 years and is now the Director of Athletics. Coach Sanders has also volunteered with the NCCAA as a Regional Volleyball Chair, National Vice Chair and National Chair. Other coaching jobs for Coach Sanders have been a club coach for Konza Volleyball Club, Kansas Jets Volleyball club and she has worked many camps with Kansas State University Volleyball. Sanders is also the Senior Women's Leader for the MCC Athletic Department.
Coach Sanders is married to Ray Sanders, who is an Associate Head Coach for the Thunder Volleyball team and they have two children, Tucker and Nash.
Fresh off of a truncated 2020 season the Thunder Volleyball team has a schedule set and is ready to roll into Coach Lauren Sanders 17th season. The ladies will open the year with the Thunder Invitational the final weekend of August as they play host to NAIA opponents Cottey College, Sterling College, York College and Central Christian College (KS). In 2020 the Thunder beat both Cottey and York while dropping their loan match to Sterling College.
MCC will waste no time starting their run at the 2021 Midwest Christian College Conference title as they head to Belton, Mo for the new conference classic where they will play both Emmaus Bible College and Faith Baptist Bible College on September 3 & 4. The team will open their home slate of NCCAA SW Region matches on September 7 when they host the Falcons of Kansas Christian College. The Lady Thunder will thrive at home in the month of September with five home matches before they hit the road in October where they return home only once.
The conference tournament will be played at the end of October as the ladies will head to Joplin, Mo as rival, Ozark Christian College, will host. MCC also won the conference tournament championship in 2020. The 2021 NCCAA SW Region Tournament is back in Texas this year at Dallas Christian College the first weekend in November. Should the Thunder advance to the NCCAA National Tournament they'll need to bring the sunscreen for a week of volleyball in the Sunshine State November 18-20.
To see the full slate of matches for the 2021 season click here.
