WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. – The Winston-Salem State University Department of Athletics has announced the appointment of Christa Brown as the program's seventh Head Women's Volleyball Coach.

"We are excited to welcome Christa Brown as our head women's volleyball coach," said WSSU Director of Athletics, Etienne Thomas. "Her history with WSSU as a Championship student-athlete, combined with her ability to inspire and develop student-athletes, makes her the perfect fit for this role. We look forward to renewed Championship success under her leadership."

Brown, a two-time CIAA volleyball champion as a player for WSSU was named the interim head coach in the Summer of 2024.

During the 2024-2025 season, the Rams finished the season 14-11 (11-5 CIAA). In her first season leading the Rams, she saw freshman Zoe Chesson earn All-CIAA second team honors, had three Rams, Brooke Norwood, Lexis Tatum and Janai Tillman be named to the College Sports Communicators (CSC) All-District Team, and she helped coach senior Brooke Norwood to a milestone of 1000 career assists. The Rams also advanced to the CIAA Quarterfinals and won the Freddie Vaughn Team Academic Award.

"I am honored and grateful to be named the next Head Coach of the Women's Volleyball Program at WSSU," said head Coach Christa Brown. "I am blessed to have the support of AD Thomas, Chancellor Brown and the Athletic department. I have always had love and passion for this game and university. As a former player, I never would have imagined being the Head coach of this program. It has been an honor to be welcomed back with open arms. Dedicating time and energy to this team and sport has been very fulfilling. These young women have shown substantial growth in all areas of life during these past two years. I believe the traditions and institutional values at WSSU are the foundation of our team. I am eager to build a strong unified team, to achieve success at a high level. I am proud of the strides we have made and the foundation that has been laid.  As we excel in the classroom, I have the same expectations on the court. We will be great! "I am truly excited for this opportunity to lead the volleyball program at Winston-Salem State University."

In her role as the volunteer assistant during the 2023 CIAA campaign, Brown was instrumental in recruitment, skill development, practice planning, and producing scouting reports. Brown assisted with community engagement and helped foster a supportive but competitive team culture representing the mission, values, and goals of the University and Athletic department.
Prior to her return to WSSU, Brown was the head coach for the Triad Elite Volleyball Club for the 15's National team. They were ranked in the top east division of 89 teams. She also was the trainer for the 14-17 regional and national teams during the 2023-24 season. She was the head coach for the 14's regional team during the 2022-23 season and the head coach for the 16's regional team. She coached the Carolina regional champions in 2022 and was the assistant coach for the 15's regional team during the 2021-23 season. In the OVR region in 2020-21, she served as a skills coach and head coach for A2 volleyball club.

As a player at WSSU, Brown was a 3-time CIAA Player of the Week, was named to the 2015 CIAA Rookie Team, the 2015 All-Academic Team, and was a part of the 2015 CIAA Champion team. In 2016, she was a volleyball representative for the Student Athletic Advisory Committee (S.A.A.C.) and was named to the All-CIAA preseason team. In 2017, Brown was named to the CIAA second team, a member of the 2017 CIAA championship team, and was named to the All-CIAA Tournament Team. Brown graduated in 2019 from Winston-Salem State University with a bachelor's degree in business administration and marketing and she is currently pursuing her master's degree from WSSU in Business Administration.

WSSU's volleyball program is poised for an exciting new chapter under Coach Brown's leadership.

For more information on the WSSU Volleyball program, visit www.wssurams.com and follow them on social media on Instagram at wssu_volleyball.

About Winston-Salem State University
Winston-Salem State University fosters the creative thinking, analytical problem-solving, and depth of character needed to transform the world. Rooted in liberal education, WSSU's curriculum prepares students to be thought leaders who have the skills and knowledge needed to develop innovative solutions to complex problems. Founded in 1892, WSSU is a historically Black constituent institution of the University of North Carolina with a rich tradition of contributing to the social, cultural, intellectual, and economic growth of North Carolina, the region, and beyond. Guided by the motto, "Enter to Learn, Depart to Serve," WSSU develops leaders who advance social justice by serving the world with compassion and commitment. For more information, visit www.wssu.edu