June 12, 2012

Press Release
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June 12, 2012, Topeka, KS -- The Kansas Volleyball Association is proud to announce the inaugural class of the KVA Hall of Fame.

The KVA inducted seven individuals who have made outstanding contributions to Kansas high school volleyball during their illustrious careers. This years' class was honored June 2 in conjunction with the KVA All-Star banquet.

The inaugural class includes:

Long-time Lawrence coach Joan Wells, who coached the Lions for 27 years, from 1971-1997, and led them to 26 consecutive state tournaments and 15 state championships as well as 7 runner-up finishes. Coach Wells had a 865-89 win-loss record and had 3 teams ranked in the Mizuno Top 25 National Ranking. She also served on numerous committees and boards that helped shape the rules of the game and was a sought-after speaker at many coaches clinics.

Gwenn Pike, 32 -year veteran coach of Bishop Miege High School, who has amassed more wins than anyone in state history with a win-loss record of 1088-201 entering the 2012 season. During the time she has been the head coach since 1980, she has coached her teams to 18 state championships.

Merle Parker, who coached Grainfield-Wheatland for 17 seasons from 1979-1995 and had a win-loss record of 475-67 while winning 7 state championships and being named 1A coach of the year and KCA coach of the year honors twice.

Sarah ( Noriega ) Sulentor was a three-time WAC all-conference player and a two-time all-state selection while playing for Ulysses High School, helping garner Program-of-the-Year honors for her school for the 1992-93 season. Sarah played collegiately at Loyola Marymount, where she helped lead them to 3 straight WCC championships while earning All-American honors and WCC Player of the Year in 1997. She went on to play with the US National team and participated in the 1995 US Olympic Festival, the World Games, the 2000 Olympics, and the 2002 World Championships. She was inducted into the Loyola Marymount Hall of Fame in 2009.


Cathy Foote started the volleyball program at Westmoreland in 1980 and coached 11 seasons there until consolidation in 1991, where she went to Rossville and coached another 21 seasons. She has taken teams to state seven times and amassed a win-loss record of 660-345. She has been a member of the KVA for 31 years, and has been the main organizer of the KVA all-star match, which is in its 27th year. Through her KVA involvement and work she has also helped in initiating all-state teams, state tournament teams, All-Academic awards, and Victory Club awards. Because of her tireless efforts, thousands of Kansas high school volleyball players have been recognized in post-season awards.

June ( Koleber ) James played for Coach Well's first state championship team her senior season in 1975 when her team went 22-0. She also lettered in basketball and softball all three years for Lawrence High and went to KU on a softball scholarship while also playing volleyball and basketball there. Not many honors were given to female athletes at that time, but Coach Wells has said that June was probably the best female athlete to ever come out of Lawrence High.

Meredith Grusing, a registered KSHSAA volleyball official for 23 years, worked 13 sub-state and 6 state tournaments in her career before her passing in July 2009 of pancreatic cancer. She was also a registered basketball official for 24 years. Meredith was a middle school teacher and coach in basketball, volleyball, and track. She also assigned officials for the Greater Wichita Athletic League for several years until reluctantly giving that up two weeks before her passing.