Terry Condon had one of the most successful coaching careers in any Little East Conference (LEC) sport during her 12 years leading the women’s volleyball program at UMass Boston. She inherited a team that won just five matches the year before her arrival, and transformed the Beacons into a regional and national power.
Condon led UMass Boston to its first-ever LEC regular season and tournament championships in 2009. That team recorded a program-record 30 wins, including a 3-1 triumph over Westfield State University in its NCAA tournament debut. The Beacons went 30-5 for the second consecutive season in 2010 as they once again claimed the LEC regular season and tournament titles, and claimed their first-ever Division III New England Regional championship with a 3-2 win over Springfield College.
In total, Condon guided UMass Boston to eight LEC regular season championships, seven LEC tournament titles (2009-13, 2015-16), three NCAA New England Regional championships (2010, 2012-13), and three appearances in the NCAA Division III Elite Eight (2010, 2012-13). She accumulated 258 wins and boasted a 67.2 career winning percentage at UMass Boston, both of which are program records. Condon ended her coaching career with a combined 460 career wins, having also served as the head coach of California State University-Bakersfield and Texas A&M University.
Condon received the highest honor in her sport when she was inducted into the American Coaches Volleyball Association (AVCA) Hall of Fame in 2016. Two years later, following the conclusion of her coaching career, she was inducted into the UMass Boston Athletic Hall of Fame.
Condon mentored UMass Boston’s first six AVCA All-Americans and eight AVCA All-Region honorees. In 2010, she earned AVCA New England Region Coach of the Year honors, after leading the Beacons to their first-ever NCAA Regional title and appearance in the NCAA Elite Eight. In 2012, the Beacons earned their highest national ranking in program history as they started the campaign ranked 16th in the country.
All of this followed an outstanding playing career for Condon, who was inducted into the UCLA Bruins Athletic Hall of Fame in 1992 and was named one of the 25 greatest players in UCLA history. UCLA retired Condon's number 34 after a tremendous career in which she led the Bruins to an 89-12 record, including back-to-back national championships in 1974 and 1975 and a national runner-up finish in 1976.
Condon also played for the United States Volleyball National Team throughout the 1970s, collecting three USA Open National Championships while being named an All-American nine times and being named the Player of the Year in 1971. Condon led the USA Women's National Team to the 1970 World Championship and appearances at the Pan American Games in 1971 and 1975.
Condon was later recognized for her career accomplishments with her selection to the USA Volleyball 75th Anniversary Women's All-Era Team (1949-1977), and was honored as an All-Time Great Female Player by the United States Volleyball Association in 1983.