As a coach, Donna Branch is the most successful in Pasadena ISD history for girls' athletics. The longtime head volleyball coach at Dobie High School, she led her teams to 10 district titles, two regional finals, and amassed 523 victories in her 23 years at the helm. She retired from coaching in 2003 and later became an assistant principal at Dobie. 

Branch was also an accomplished multi-sport athlete at Sam Rayburn High School and San Jacinto College. At San Jacinto, she earned First-Team All-American honors twice in volleyball and excelled in track and field, finishing second and fourth at two national meets in the javelin. As a student-athlete at Texas A&M, Branch set a school record in the javelin that stood for 12 years. She competed for the South in the National Sports Festival twice. 

Her legacy in Pasadena athletics is significant, and she was inducted into the Pasadena ISD Hall of Fame in 2016, recognized for her achievements as both an athlete and a coach. After leaving coaching, Branch served as an assistant principal at Dobie High School. As of at least 2024, she is on the Pasadena ISD Athletics Hall of Fame Committee.