Paula Gonzalez
Inducted 2005
Hometown: Harlingen
High School: Harlingen High School
College: The University of Texas at Austin
Best Known for: Coaching – Volleyball
b. April 8, 1956
Gonzalez took over the volleyball program at Brownsville Pace High School at age 24 and immediately established a highly successful Viqueen program. After graduating from Harlingen High in 1974 and The University of Texas at Austin, she began her educational career as a coach at Faulk Middle School from 1978-80.
Gonzalez began her volleyball coaching career at Pace in 1980 and led the team to 17 playoff appearances through 2008, when she also notched career victory No. 500. The Viqueens won or shared 10 district titles in her tenure at the school, including qualifying for two regional tournaments. The six-time Coach of the Year had a career winning percentage of over .700 when she moved to El Paso to become an athletic director for Socorro ISD in 2010. She moved back to the Valley to become athletic director for McAllen ISD in 2012.
Gonzalez has always been active in teaching adaptive physical education, plus outreach through volleyball clinics and volunteer efforts with the Special Olympics and the Lower Valley Cotillion Club.
In 2001, she received a prestigious honor when Fox Sports named her one of the “Coaches Who Make a Difference.”