Casey Veen Returns to Livingston, Leads Lady Lions to Record 29-Win Season

Twenty-nine wins. For the Livingston Lady Lions volleyball program, that number means more than just a playoff ticket — it's a school record, and it arrived in Casey Veen's very first season back on the sideline.

Veen, who previously coached at Livingston roughly 15 years ago before a long tenure at Barbers Hill, returned to the program after her husband Ben accepted an assistant principal position at Livingston High School. What began as a family decision to embrace a quieter, more grounded lifestyle quickly turned into one of the more compelling coaching stories in the Houston area this fall.

The Lady Lions open postseason play on the road at New Caney High School against Austin High out of HISD — a road test that will measure just how far this program has come in a single season.

The buy-in has been a recurring theme. Players, assistant coaches, and the broader Livingston community have all leaned into what Veen is building. The team hosted a Halloween-themed "Spike and Treat" clinic for young girls, with varsity players showing up in inflatable costumes — an idea credited to number nine, Maddie Achor. The event drew junior high players who regularly attend varsity matches, and an alumni game drew 54 former players eager to return to the court where they once competed.

"We have good team chemistry and we're constantly working to push each other, and I think that's what has made us so good this season," one player said. The sentiment was echoed throughout the roster, with players pointing to Veen's volleyball knowledge and the cohesion of a group that has largely grown up playing together.

For Veen, the transition has been as much personal as professional. "Volleyball is universal," she said, describing the move as a chance to pour into both family and the sport she loves. With a record-setting regular season behind them and the playoffs ahead, Livingston is finding out just how far that foundation can take them.