Southern Illinoise University Athletics
Locke named to Missouri Valley Conference Volleyball All-Centennial Team
11/16/2006 | 12:00:00 | Women's Volleyball
Nov. 16, 2006
ST. LOUIS, Mo. - Since its first year in 1982, fans have flocked to Missouri Valley Conference campuses, placing The Valley among the nation's leading conferences in annual attendance. For a second-straight year, MVC schools have hosted more than 100,000 volleyball fans with two schools drawing better than 20,000 fans and three others topping 10,000 supporters.
On the court, Valley schools have produced four NCAA All-Americans, two national coaches of the year and have etched their names throughout the NCAA records book.
UNI and Illinois State have combined to secure or share regular-season conference titles in 19 of 23 volleyball seasons and have won 20 MVC tournament titles between them.
UNI has appeared in 11 NCAA Tournaments, three Sweet 16s and have captured or shared 12 regular-season conference crowns and 11 tournament championships.
Illinois State has won or shared 10 regular-season titles, claimed nine tournament titles and participated in 11 NCAA Tournaments.
Together, the two institutions have 13 players on the all-centennial squad. In 2006-07, the Missouri Valley Conference celebrates a century of excellence as the nation's second-oldest NCAA Division I conference begins its second centennial as a leader in college athletics. As a part of the Centennial Celebration, The Valley is naming all-centennial teams for each of the Valley's sponsored sports.
Team composition for each sport has been determined through an on-line fan vote (www.mvc100.org) and by a centennial committee. A total of 1,888 votes were cast for volleyball. Fans also designated an all-time coach as part of the on-line voting process.
In the league's first 99 seasons, 32 members combined for 27 national championships, while 55 Valley student-athletes captured NCAA individual titles. In addition, Valley student-athletes and coaches earned 48 National Player or Coach of the Year honors in their respective sports. And the league had a myriad of student-athletes who collected All-America honors and earned national academic distinction in The Valley's first century.
Volleyball (sponsored 1982 to present): Twelve different programs (including affiliate members) have sponsored volleyball in the Missouri Valley Conference including Bradley (1982-present); Creighton (1994-present); Drake (1982-present); Eastern Illinois (1982-1991); Evansville (1994-present); Illinois State (1982-present); Indiana State (1982-present); Missouri State (1982-present); Southern Illinois (1982-present); Northern Iowa (1982-present); Western Illinois (1982-1991); Wichita State (1983-present). Prior to 1992, MVC member schools competed in the Gateway Collegiate Athletic Conference in women's athletics.
MISSOURI VALLEY CONFERENCE VOLLEYBALL ALL-CENTENNIAL TEAM
Name, School, Years~, Notable Honors
Stacey Anderson, Illinois State, 1989, 3-time all-MVC; 1989 Player of the Year
Jill Arganbright, UNI, 2003, 4-time all-MVC; league's all-time assist leader
Karen Augspurger, Wichita State, 2004, 2-time Valley Libero of the Year
Bobbi Becker, UNI, 1989, 3-time all-MVC
Kara Galer, UNI, 1995, 3-time all-MVC; 2-time Player of the Year (1994 and 1995)
Kate Galer, UNI, 1996, 3-time all-MVC; 1993 Freshman of the Year
Kendra Haselhorst, Illinois State, 2000, 3-time all-MVC, 2000 Player of the Year
Jolene Jordan, Illinois State, 1985, 2-time all-MVC; 1985 Player of the Year; All-American
Sonya Locke, Southern Illinois, 1982, 1-time all-MVC tournament^; First league Player of the Year (1982)
Kim McCaffrey, UNI, 2001, 3-time all-MVC
Megan Mirs, Indiana State, 2001, 3-time all-MVC
Julie Mueller, Illinois State, 1984, 2-time all-MVC; First MVC All-American (1984)
Kim Nelson, Illinois State, 1993, 2-time all-MVC; First 2-time Player of the Year (1992 and 1993)
*Molly O'Brien, UNI, 2003, 4-time all-MVC; 3-time Player of the Year (2001, 02, 03); All-American
Shannon Perry, UNI, 1999, 3-time all-MVC; 2-time Player of the Year (1998 and 99), All-American
Chris Rehor, Illinois State, 1988, 3-time all-MVC
Lindsay Stalzer, Bradley, 2005, 3-time all-MVC, 2005 Player of the Year; league's all-time kills leader
Mindy Struckhoff, Missouri State, 1988, 3-time all-MVC; 1988 Player of the Year
Melissa Walsh, Creighton, 2001, 3-time all-MVC
Linette White, Missouri State, 2003, 3-time all-MVC, 2003 Co-Player of the Year
Sara Younes, Wichita State, 2004, 4-time all-MVC, 2004 Player of the Year
Iradge Ahrabi-Fard, UNI, 2000, 7-time Coach of the Year, 1999 National Coach of the Year, 10 Regular-Season and 8 MVC tournament Titles, 8 NCAA Appearances
* denotes No. 1 choice in fan balloting; ~ indicates players' final season in The Valley
^ The 1982 Gateway season was a tournament only
