LAKE CHARLES - Yasmin Tan, the only head coach in the history of the McNeese Cowgirl Beach Volleyball program, had her contract extended for four years with an option for a fifth year, Director of Athletics Bridget Martin has announced.
 
This past season, Tan guided the Cowgirls to a 23-7 overall record, a program-best in the three-year history of competition, and an improvement of 10 wins from the prior season. McNeese finished 4-2 in Southland Conference play to earn the No. 3 seed in the Southland Conference Championship, the highest conference tournament seed in program history. The Sandy Pokes also placed all five pairs on the All-Southland Conference Team, highlighted by one First Team selection and four Second Team honorees.
 
"Coach Tan was hired three years ago to start the Beach Program and has built a strong foundation that prioritizes the student-athlete experience, and both competitive and academic excellence," said Martin. "Coach Tan is an exceptional mentor whose impact stretches far beyond the volleyball courts. We are proud to sign her to a contract that demonstrates our commitment to her, and we look forward to watching the continued growth and success of the beach program."
 
"I am so incredibly grateful to Athletic Director Bridget Martin and Sport Administrator John Lemke for the trust they have placed in me and for the opportunity to continue serving our University and the McNeese Beach Volleyball program," said Tan. "I have an immense amount of love, care, and pride for this program and what we have built together over the past three years. Looking back to where we started on day one and now entering year four, the growth and investment we've experienced both on and off the court are a testament to our dedicated student athletes, support staff, community, and everyone who has believed in and supported our vision.
 
"I look forward to continuing to develop exceptional student-athletes, competing at a high level, and representing McNeese with pride, gratitude, and a commitment to serving others every single day."
 
Off the sand, Tan has built a culture centered on academic excellence. Since the program's inception, the team's cumulative GPA has increased every semester, rising from 3.23 to 3.84. McNeese has earned the AVCA Team Academic Award in each of the program's first three seasons while producing three consecutive semesters as the university's highest-performing academic team while being recognized among the top 20 percent of NCAA Division I beach volleyball programs in team GPA. The program's success extended to competition as well, finishing the 2026 season ranked among the nation's Top 50 in the TruVolley rankings.

In 2025, the Sandy Pokes improved to a 13-19 overall record, tallying 10 more wins than in her first season at the helm while sitting at 2-6 in SLC play. The squad earned its first Southland Conference Tournament victory over Nicholls 3-1 before narrowly falling to San Jose State 3-2 in the second elimination round.

Tan guided the Cowgirls to 3-22 overall record, going 1-6 in conference play. The Cowgirls made history with the program's first win (4-1) against Tarleton State on Feb. 23, 2024.  McNeese made history again on March 16, 2024 with the program's first conference win (4-1) over Nicholls. The Cowgirls also advanced to the SLC Tournament where they fell to Boise State and Southeastern.

In 2024, Tan also served as a Cowgirl Indoor Volleyball Assistant. 

Tan joined McNeese in the fall of 2022 as a graduate assistant with the indoor volleyball program. During her first season, she helped guide the Cowgirls to a second-place finish in the Southland Conference standings and a berth in the conference semifinals. She played a key role in the development of back-to-back Southland Conference Freshmen of the Year at middle blocker, mentoring Sanni Rantanen in 2022 and Tshilanda Diouf in 2023.