Coach Tom Duke has led the Cowgirls since 2020, his second stint with NMHU. Duke also coached the Cowgirls from 2002 to 2007 when he led the Cowgirls to a pair of RMAC West second place finishes and to program's all-time best season record of 19-7 in 2005.

Duke took the Cowgirls to the RMAC Playoffs in 2004, 2005, and, most recently, in 2021.
 
Duke was a standout volleyball player at the University of Southern California where he was a three-time All-American and the NCAA Men's Volleyball Player of the Year in 1988 as he helped lead the Trojans to the NCAA Championship in a thrilling five-set win over UC-Santa Barbara. USC retired Duke's #1 jersey in 2015.  

After his stellar collegiate playing career, Duke represented the US National Team playing in 65 international events.  He earned 1992 MVP honors in Four Man Beach Volleyball.  He also played professionally in the Premier League in Spain, France, and the Netherlands.