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McALLEN — After five years at the helm of arguably the most successful volleyball program in the Rio Grande Valley, head coach Ashley Doffing is stepping down at McAllen Memorial.
The information originally came from multiple sources and Doffing confirmed the news later Tuesday afternoon, in a text stating “I’m stepping away from education. I’ll miss the kids.”
McAllen Memorial football coach and athletic coordinator Moses Patterson said he could not confirm Doffing’s status at that time and McAllen ISD Athletic Director Brian McClenny referred all questions to Director of Marketing and Communications, Mark May.
Doffing, a Memorial graduate, took over from Lorena Lopez to begin the 2019-20 season. In her five seasons, she brought the Mustangs to three regional tournaments, including the past two seasons. She continued a long stretch of regional appearances following Lopez taking Memorial to five Sweet 16 appearances, in 2010 and then four straight from 2015 through 2018.
Doffing and her Mustangs finished fourth in District 31-5A this year and fought through several injuries and illnesses all season. However, once the postseason arrived, the Mustangs did what they do on a regular basis – win. This past season, they defeated Brownsville Pace, Gregory-Portland and Sharyland in the playoffs before being swept by Rouse for the second straight year. Rouse went on to get swept by Liberty Hill in the Region IV championship and will play beginning Wednesday in the state tournament.
During her five years, Doffing and the Mustangs tallied a 156-55 record, eclipsing 30 wins in each season except for 2020-21 during the COVID-19 pandemic when the team was 16-1, losing its only match of the season to McAllen High in the third round of the playoffs.
The Mustangs will graduate seven seniors, including five who contributed heavily to the team’s powerful offense over recent years.
