Saturday afternoon, Columbia Basin College Athletics shared on Twitter that a member of their coaching staff had passed away.
Coach DiShondra Goree, head volleyball coach, died unexpectedly overnight, after collapsing in her home.
The cause of death has been made public yet.
“It is with deep sorrow and heavy hearts that we inform you of the passing of Coach DiShondra Goree. She passed away unexpectedly last night in her home. Words cannot express the sorrow we feel at this time.”
More from Tri-City Herald:
The Columbia Basin College volleyball team had two meetings in the players lounge upstairs this weekend. The first came after Friday night’s 3-0 win over Treasure Valley, raising their record to an impressive 23-1 this season. Players and coaches ate and celebrated each other.
The second meeting came Saturday morning, when the players were told that head coach DiShondra Goree had passed away overnight, collapsing in her home.
CBC athletic director Scott Rogers said Goree’s fiancé, Marcus Dunnigan, notified school officials Saturday morning, and they brought the team together to mourn. Rogers said the coroner said she died from natural causes.
Rogers said the coroner said she died from natural causes.
As an emotional Rogers recounted on Monday, “There is no playbook for this one (in how to handle a situation like this). Everyone is pretty devastated.” Goree — in her early 40s — had come to CBC three seasons ago to help get the school’s volleyball program back to a level where everyone thought it should be. She had come from Kentucky State University.
Goree previously served as head coach of women’s volleyball at Kentucky State University.
