It is with great sorrow that we share the news of the passing of recently retired and beloved varsity volleyball coach Carrie Yerty. Carrie leaves her husband, Lee and her three sons, Wesley, Jace and Cade, as well as her parents, Mr. and Mrs. CR Couturier, of Gig Harbor, Washington. Mrs. Yerty coached at Briarcrest since 2016.
During her years at Briarcrest, Coach Yerty received many accolades, winning State Championships (2018, 2019 and 2020) as well as being named Coach of the Year on three consecutive occasions. Coach Yerty was instrumental in developing some of the best volleyball athletes in the country. Prior to joining Briarcrest, Carrie coached Division I collegiate volleyball at Eastern Washington University, University of Arizona, University of Memphis, and the University of Wyoming.
In her inaugural BCS season, the Saints went 40-2 en route winning a State Championship. Carrie repeated that feat in 2019 and again in 2020, becoming the only coach in Briarcrest school history to claim a State Championship three-peat. Her record as head coach at Briarcrest was 134/11, a 92% winning record.
Coach Yerty was also recognized as Coach of the Year by both the Daily Memphian and the Commercial Appeal in 2018, ‘19 and ‘20. Her 2018 BCS team ranked as high as 5th in the nation by Prep Volleyball and was named Team of the Year by The Commercial Appeal in 2019.
While at BCS, Carrie coached eleven Under Armour All-Americans and saw nine student athletes receive volleyball scholarships at universities across the country. Under her leadership, the Volleyball team was also recognized for their commitment to academic excellence.
“It is with a heavy heart that we share the news of Carrie’s passing. Carrie has impacted the lives of countless young women. Her desire to share the Gospel was evident in her daily walk and courageous spirit,” said Caron Swatley, President, Briarcrest Christian School. “Carrie’s legacy will remain in the hearts of our school community and in the athletic history of Briarcrest Christian School.”
In addition to her responsibilities as Head Volleyball Coach, “Coach C” also served as the Briarcrest Elementary School Athletic Director and was honored by her peers as a recipient of the Dr. Clair E. Cox Award for Teacher Excellence in 2020.
Details of a celebration of life service will be published at a later date. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to The Carrie Yerty Courage and Discipleship Fund at Briarcrest Christian School. We ask that you be in prayer for the Yerty/Couturier family
