SMU Athletics

Christa Branson enters her fifth season on staff with SMU Volleyball. In the summer prior to the 2026 season, Branson was promoted to Director of Player Development & Recruiting Coordinator, after three seasons as Assistant Coach and Recruiting Coordinator (2023-2025) and one season as the Director of Operations (2022).

While at SMU, Branson has helped signed several top high school and transfer portal recruiting classes. Under Branson, the Mustangs sign the No. 17 ranked recruiting class in the country by VBAdrenaline.com for 2026 and three of the top transfer portal classes in the country since joining the ACC. 

Branson has been on staff for three-straight NCAA Tournament appearances, including the program's first-ever NCAA Regional Semifinal berth in 2025. 

Under her guidance of Branson, SMU has helped develop seven All-Americans, nine All-Region performers and 16 All-Conference athletes. Six athletes have also been drafted into the MLV (Previously known as the PVF), in her four seasons on the Hilltop. 

In the summers ahead of the 2025 and 2026 seasons, Branson has gotten the opportunity to Coach for USA Volleyball this summer in the National Training Development Program (NTDP), in Hamilton, Ohio, and Kansas City, Mo. 

In 2024, Branson was an instrumental part in helping SMU volleyball earn a No. 2 seed in the NCAA Tournament and host-site honors for the opening two rounds for the first time in program history, becoming the first DFW school to be seeded high enough to host since UTA hosted in 1991.

Branson arrived on the Hilltop from West Texas A&M University where she served in an assistant coaching role with the Lady Buffs volleyball team. During her time in Canyon, Texas, Branson specialized in training middles and blocking while assisting in recruiting for the program.  West Texas A&M Lady Buffs won the Lone Star Conference Tournament Championship, reached the Division II NCAA Elite 8 and had two All- America selections.  

Prior to West Texas A&M, Branson served as Interim Head Coach for Lubbock Christian University (2020) and Assistant Coach (2018-20).

Previous to her collegiate coaching debut, Branson coached at Lubbock Christian High School (2016-17) where she led the team to appearances in the TAPPS 4A Regional Tournament.

Before her coaching career began, Branson (Daniel) competed at Division II LCU from 2011 to 2014. During her career, she played in 83 matches, collecting 6.13 digs/set as the libero and team captain for the Chaps.

Branson and her husband Alex have a son, Bishop.