Citizen of the Year Awarded to Legendary Angelo State Coach Kathleen Brasfield

Brasfield ended her speech at the banquet with a saying she said she used time and time again.

“Go Rams and Belles, and God Bless San Angelo.”

Hired in 1978, Brasfield coached Angelo State Volleyball until 2004. She became Angelo State’s Athletic Director in 1987 and retired from coaching in 2005 to focus on her duties as AD. In 26 years as Head Coach, Brasfield accumulated 647 wins and retired as one of the winningest coaches in all of Division II Volleyball.

After she retired from coaching, she did not stop adding to her illustrious list of accomplishments. Brasfield established the first university endowment solely for Angelo State athletics with the support of Dr. Robert and Jean Ann LeGrand. She was also named to the Lone Star Conference All-75 Year Team in 2007 as a Volleyball Coach. In addition, she received the National Association for Girls and Women in Sport Pathfinder Award for her contributions to the achievement of women in sports. 

According to angelosports.com, Brasfield served as chair of the Division II Management Council in 2010 and received the Under Armour Athletic Director of the Year Award for Division II's West Region in 2011. Brasfield was also awarded the 2013 Division 2 Athletics Directors Association Lifetime Achievement Award. Finally, Brasfield was inducted into the Angelo State Athletics Hall of Honor and the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA) Hall of Fame in 2014.

The late Laura Lee Lewis, who served as Senator Charles Perry’s legislative aide, was honored with the Phil Neighbors Community Service Award for her legacy in San Angelo. Lewis sadly passed away back in November of 2023.