In just four years, Erica Bradley had quite a run for the Palmer Ridge girls volleyball team. But after leading the Bears to their second state championship this past fall, Bradley is turning her focus toward her family and will not return to the team in 2024.
Palmer Ridge athletic director Lance McCorkle confirmed the news to Colorado Preps this week and said he’ll begin the search for a new coach immediately.
And he more than understands the challenge of replacing Bradley, who brought four years of stability to the Palmer Ridge program.
In her four years at Palmer Ridge, Bradley’s teams went a combined 85-18. That includes two Class 4A state championships, the first came in the 2020-21 season, the COVID year, and the second came back in November of 2023.
In the two years that the Bears didn’t claim a title, they entered the state tournament as the No. 1 seed and lost in the semifinals, once to league rival Cheyenne Mountain and the other time to Windsor.
As he begins the search for his new coach, McCorkle will look to someone who can take the foundation that Bradley built in terms of team play and propel it forward in order to match the success of the last four seasons.
“We want someone who can embrace the high expectations and the high levels of talent in the Monument community and direct [the players] to play together as a team instead of constantly focusing on individual goals,” McCorkle said. “We want someone that can take those expectations and integrate that same community feel that Erica brought in that made the program successful.”
