Brandi graduated from Lubbock’s Coronado High School and attended Baylor University on a volleyball scholarship, where she earned a B.S. in Education.  

Brandi coached volleyball for the next 10 years serving as Head Volleyball Coach at Canyon, Amarillo Tascosa, and Lubbock Coronado. Coach Cantrell took Tascosa to the State Semi-finals in 2000 and Coronado to the State finals earning 5A Coach of the Year in 2004 for the state of Texas. In 2022, Brandi was inducted into the Lubbock ISD Athletics Hall of Honor. At the height of her Hall of Fame coaching career, God called Brandi into foreign missions where she served Him in Vienna, Austria for 8 years.  

While home in Lubbock on furlough, God called Brandi to join FCA staff in 2012.  Over the past decade, Brandi has faithfully ministered to Texas Tech Women's Athletics leading coaches Bible studies, team chapels, mission trips, and discipleship mentoring with many different teams and individual athletes.  Brandi is also the FCA National Director for the NCAA Volleyball Final Four and serves on numerous other state and national committees.  

Brandi is a member at LakeRidge United Methodist Church, and was also recognized by Lubbock YWCA with the 2019 Women of Excellence Award for Religion.