The Brownwood Lady Lions begin their 2026 volleyball season at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 11, hosting the Early Lady Horns at Warren Gym. Brownwood enters the opener aiming to build on last year’s end to a 30-match district drought and reach the playoffs for the first time since 2021.

The Early team provides an immediate test. The Lady Horns reached the Class 3A playoffs a year ago, and Brownwood’s opener is part of a significantly more demanding pre-district schedule designed to prepare the team for District 6-4A competition.

A tougher test before district play

Second-year head coach Kristen Grimes said the challenging schedule was deliberate because Brownwood’s district remains strong. The Lady Lions will host the Heart of Texas volleyball tournament for the third consecutive year on Aug. 20-22. This year, the tournament will be held entirely at Brownwood High School, with Brownwood’s varsity and junior varsity maroon teams participating.

The Heart of Texas field will include local teams as well as opponents from farther away, including Snyder and Covenant Fort Worth. Brownwood will then travel to the Godley tournament Aug. 27-29, where Grimes expects competition from teams in the Dallas-Fort Worth area that play club volleyball year-round.

Other scheduled pre-district opponents include Abilene, San Angelo Central, Fredericksburg, Clyde, Wall, Jim Ned, Gatesville, Abilene High and a combined Abilene Cooper/Midland Lee date. District play begins Sept. 22 at Mineral Wells.

Young roster follows 16-19 season

Brownwood finished 16-19 overall in 2025 and went 2-8 against District 6-4A opponents. The district lineup remains unchanged for the next two years despite February realignment. Brownwood will again face Mineral Wells and last season’s playoff teams Brock, Stephenville, Glen Rose and Graham.

The Lady Lions lost seven seniors from last year’s roster. Only two returning players—Kaydence Chandler and Demayha Hooker—will be seniors in 2026. Other returning players to watch include Camryn Gipson, Ashantia Green and Bella Stokes, who is returning after knee surgery last year.

Chandler and Hooker will anchor the middle of the lineup. Grimes said both have made substantial progress in the gym, including their attacks and timing with the setters. The roster also includes a large group of freshmen, while many other players are sophomores and juniors, leaving varsity roles to be determined before district matches begin.

Brownwood has emphasized toughness, staying in rallies and mental discipline while the younger roster gains experience. Grimes said the team understands the expectations and shares the goal of making the playoffs.

2026 District 6-4A schedule

After the Sept. 22 opener at Mineral Wells, Brownwood’s district schedule includes:

  • Sept. 25: at Graham, 4:30 p.m.
  • Sept. 29: Glen Rose, 6 p.m.
  • Oct. 2: at Brock, 4:30 p.m.
  • Oct. 6: at Stephenville, 6 p.m.
  • Oct. 9: Mineral Wells, 4:30 p.m.
  • Oct. 13: Graham, 6 p.m.
  • Oct. 16: at Glen Rose, 4:30 p.m.
  • Oct. 20: Brock, 6 p.m.
  • Oct. 23: at Stephenville, 4:30 p.m.

For Brownwood, the route to the postseason starts with Tuesday’s home match against Early and continues through a pre-district schedule built to test a young team before the District 6-4A race begins.