MHS - Volleyball / April 16, 2020 By Kasey McDowell
The year was 1975. The Mulvane Wildcats volleyball team was in their second year of existence and Coach Nancy Winter already had a formula for success. In 1974, the Mulvane High School switched from girls tennis to girls volleyball and in their first season, they went 4-2 and took 3rd place in the regional tournament that season. The next year, the girls took season by storm, going 16-1. After an almost perfect regular season, they won the regional tournament by defeating Kapaun-Mt. Carmel, Andover, and Goddard and headed to the Class 3A State Tournament.
The Mulvane’s defense was on fire and the most points scored by an opponent during the state tournament was 10 points. Most of the opponents were limited to 5 points. Mulvane defeated Garnett (15-1, 15-5), Atchison (15-10, 15-5), and then Washburn Rural (15-2, 15-4) for the 3A State Championship.
Below was a quote from Coach Nancy Winter in the 1975-76 yearbook:
The 1975 volleyball team is the second team in our school history to become a state champion. It is the goal of every coach and athlete to be number one at the end of the season. It is a dream few realize.
The ingredients of a championship team are hard to define. Words such as skill, desire, and intelligence must be included. The one most important item may be teamwork, the ability of everyone to work for the overall good of the team.
Champions, this is a work which defines this group of young people very well.
Congratulations on a job well done!
Sincerely,
Nancy Winter, Coach
1975-76 Volleyball Team:
The Traveling varsity roster consisted of the following players:
Anne Carney (Sr. #12)
Carol Hagg (Sr. #22)
Debbie Howard (Sr. #15)
Deanna Keely (Sr. #20)
Leigh Lane (Sr. #44)
Sherri Standerfer (Sr. #32)
Karen Thomas (Sr. #33)
Faith Thompson (Sr. #31)
Kathy Ward (Sr. #21)
Terri Whetstone (Sr. #11)
Debbie Cotton (Jr. #23)
Jackie Smith (So. #15)
The remaining roster was as follows:
Peggy Armstrong (Jr.)
Candy Brown (Jr.)
Marci Cranston (Jr.)
Connie Howard (Jr.)
Vicki Lawless (Jr.)
Debbie Lighty (Jr.)
Linette Reneau (Jr.)
Deann Stout (Jr.)
Julie Smith (Jr.)
Sue Chase (So.)
Diane Daily (So.)
Kathy Dody (So.)
Sherri Gage (So.)
Julie Howard (So.)
Cari Johnson (So.)
Lillian Phillips (So.)
Bonnie Ray (So.)
Chris Rico (So.)
Kathy Turkle (So.)
Back Row: Terry Whetstone, Carol Hagg, Anne Carney, Kathy Ward, Faith Thompson, Debbie Howard
Middle Row: Sherri Standerfer, Deanna Keely, Leigh Lane, Karen Thomas, Debbie Cotton, Jackie Smith
Front Row: Coach Nancy Winter
Note: Coach Nancy Winter went on to coach Mulvane Volleyball until 1989-90 when Connie Humphries took over the head coaching duties. Nancy stayed on as assistant coach until after the 1995-96 season. Coach Winter's record at Mulvane over her 16 seasons as head coach was 180-199.
