October 25, 2022
Humble High School volleyball coach Michelle Funderburk knows the feeling of being a part of a historic season.
In 1992, the Austin McCallum Knights were fresh off a winless season, going 0-22. Funderburk and her sophomore class climbed back from that year and made the playoffs, even beating Leander in a Bi-District match.
As a senior in 1994, Funderburk, who was the District 26-4A MVP, and the Knights made a run all the way to the UIL Class 4A State Championship match and finished as the state runner-ups.
The culture had been set as the program returned to the UIL State Tournament again in 1997.
Humble High School volleyball coach Michelle Funderburk looks on during a team practice.
Being through this as a player, coming back from a winless campaign, gave Funderburk the belief that she could do the same at Humble High School.
Coming off a winless district campaign in 2021 and going a combined 1-23 over the past two seasons in District 21-6A play, Funderburk wasn’t fazed. She didn’t doubt.
“I truly believe that all it takes is that special group of kids that just accept the challenge and play no matter what,” Funderburk said. “They’re not worried about what the scoreboard says, they just go out there and fight and sometimes it becomes the win.”
Enter the 2022 Humble High School volleyball team with just one senior – Micaiah Smith – five juniors and a quartet of talented sophomores. The Wildcats started the year 5-7 overall and then they hit their stride.
From August 20 to September 10, Humble won 14 of their 16 matches and in district kept it rolling, rattling off seven wins – including a 3-1 victory over North Shore on October 18 – to do something that hasn’t been accomplished for the program in 18 years.
Clinch a playoff berth.
“We knew that if we won that game, we would make it into the playoffs,” Humble High School sophomore Kylee Roberts said. “There was just a lot of adrenaline going for us. We were really excited and happy that we got to do that.”
Humble High School sophomore Amaris Marks added: “I was so excited, those last few points were something. First time in playoffs. I’m proud of my team, proud of my coach, we just did what we had to do and executed.”
Prior to this season, Humble High School volleyball hadn’t made the playoffs since 2004, when Funderburk was an assistant coach on the staff.
In 2010, Funderburk was handed the keys to the car as the head coach of the program. Despite the winless campaigns over the years, Funderburk never wavered in her belief that she could turn this program into a winning one.
“I knew I could turn this one around,” Funderburk said. “That’s what I believed in, that’s what I’ve been working for all these years was turning this program around. I believed in it, that’s why I’m still here.”
So, just like it was Funderburk’s sophomore season that saw the Knights break through, it has been a group of sophomores to do the same for Humble.
Sophomore Trabrece Marbley is the team’s leading hitter with 287 kills and 196 digs, while Marks has registered 214 kills, 211 digs and 110 aces. Roberts has led the team in assists with 479.
“I could kind of feel it from the very beginning,” Marbley said. “We were all so headstrong on getting through the season. All working together. Working hard, doing stuff to better ourselves. I just felt like this year was going to be different than last.”
Marks added: “It was definitely a lot of work outside practice, outside the court. Just working on your own thing. Just bettering yourself more than anybody else and giving that extra 10 percent like I said.”
Left: Humble High School sophomore Trabrece Marbley; Right: Humble High School sophomore Amaris Marks prepares to receive a pass during a practice.
Junior Tevai Haiola has chipped in 184 kills and 99 aces, junior Jada James leads the team in blocks with 39, junior Aryana Tullos has 194 digs for the year, and sophomore Alexa Gonzalez has 163 assists.
That extra work has paid off in a playoff berth for the first time in nearly two decades. It is the first time that all five Humble ISD volleyball programs will be in the postseason in the same year. It is the first time that Humble will be in it as a Class 6A program.
“To finally show that Humble is as good as the rest of them, it has been nice to have everyone so excited about what the girls have accomplished and all their hard work is starting to show this year,” Funderburk said.
Roberts added: “To me it means we just showed a lot of determination and commitment to the team. I’m really proud to make it. I’m proud of myself, team, coach and everyone. It means a lot to me.”