The University of Alabama at Birmingham Athletics
Women's Volleyball
- Title:
- Head Coach
- Email:
- bfreebur@uab.edu
- Alma Mater:
- Florida '12
Betsy Freeburg enters her seventh season as the head coach of the UAB volleyball program after being named the Blazers’ head coach on July 2, 2020. Since taking over the program, Freeburg has guided the Blazers to four postseason appearances, including three Conference USA Tournament berths and one American Athletic Conference Tournament appearance.
One of the nation’s top young coaches, Freeburg was selected to the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) Thirty Under 30 list in 2020. During her tenure at UAB, she has coached 29 All-Conference performers, seven AVCA All-Region selections and three All-Americans.
Freeburg arrived at UAB following three seasons as an assistant coach at Samford, where she helped the Bulldogs capture back-to-back Southern Conference Tournament championships and NCAA Tournament berths in 2018 and 2019. In 2019, Samford posted a program-best 15-1 record in SoCon play and earned a road victory over No. 24 Arizona.
During her time at Samford, Freeburg coached 2019 SoCon Player of the Year and AVCA All-Region honorable mention selection Kelsi Hobbs, as well as 2018 SoCon Freshman of the Year Lauren Deaton. In all, she coached five All-Conference selections on six occasions and played a key role in securing commitments from nine student-athletes, including the 2017 Alabama Gatorade Player of the Year.
Prior to joining the Samford staff, Freeburg served as an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator at Georgia State.
Freeburg began her coaching career with USA Volleyball, serving as a court coach and evaluator for the USAV High Performance Program tryouts. She also served as an apprentice coach for the 2016 Girls’ Future Select National Training Program and an assistant coach for the 2016 Girls’ Youth National Team Prospect Training Block. Additionally, she coached with the Orlando Volleyball Academy.
A former standout player at the University of Florida, Freeburg helped lead the Gators to four NCAA Tournament appearances from 2009-12, including three Sweet Sixteen appearances and an Elite Eight berth in 2011. Florida captured SEC championships in 2010 and 2012. As a senior, Freeburg served as a team captain and earned Second Team All-SEC honors as a middle blocker.
COACHING EXPERIENCE:
2020-present: UAB, Head Coach
2017-19: Samford, Assistant Coach
2014-16: Georgia State, Assistant Coach/Recruiting Coordinator
YEAR-BY-YEAR HEAD COACHING RECORD:
| Year | School | W-L | Pct. |
| 2025 | UAB | 13-15 | .464 |
| 2024 | UAB | 11-17 | .393 |
| 2023 | UAB | 5-26 | .161 |
| 2022 | UAB | 12-15 | .444 |
| 2021 | UAB | 11-14 | .440 |
| 2020-21 | UAB | 8-8 | .500 |
| Total (6 Seasons) | 60-95 | .387 |
