By Ryne Rickman, UT Martin Sports Information Director
BRENTWOOD, Tenn. – The 2022-23 academic year marked the 75th anniversary of the Ohio Valley Conference, which began in 1948 and currently ranks as the eighth-oldest NCAA Division I conference.
As part of the celebration of the storied accomplishments of the league, a committee working in conjunction with current and former schools captured the “best-of-the-best” in each sport and celebrate the top athletes in league history with the 75th Anniversary Teams across all OVC sports. A similar listing was compiled during the 40th and 50th anniversaries of the league.
The Skyhawks landed four honorees on the OVC 75th Anniversary Team for the sport of volleyball, three of which are enshrined in the UT Martin Athletics Hall of Fame.
Rachel Ahlers (1999-2002)
Ahlers is the Skyhawks’ all-time leader in attack percentage (.347, third-highest number in OVC history) while ranking second in school history in kills (1,196), kills per set (3.18), blocks (463) and blocks per set (1.23). The Kirkwood, Mo. native remains the single-season leader in kills (429 in 2001), attack percentage (.397 in 2001, third-best all-time mark in OVC history) and blocks per set (1.50 in 2002). A three-time All-OVC first team selection, she helped guide UT Martin to its first two OVC regular season championships (2001, 2002) and first-ever OVC Tournament title/NCAA Tournament appearance in 2002. She was inducted into the UT Martin Hall of Fame in 2010.
Kasey Elswick (2009-12)
Elswick ranks first in UT Martin history with 2,606 digs (nearly 1,000 more than second place) – which stood as the most by any OVC player until this past fall. Her 852 digs as a junior shattered an NCAA single-season record and led to an American Volleyball Coaches Association All-American honorable mention accolade. She became the first Skyhawk to win the OVC Defensive Player of the Year award, earning that title in back-to-back seasons (2010, 2011). A three-time All-OVC first teamer, the libero out of Louisville, Ky. was a 10-time OVC Defensive Player of the Week (winning the award eight times alone in 2011). The 2018 UT Martin Hall of Fame inductee holds each of the top seven single-match dig performances in school history, including a record 46 scoops at Eastern Kentucky on Sept. 23, 2011.
Kathryn Sprague (2004-07)
Sprague is the Skyhawks’ all-time leader in blocks (545) and blocks per set (1.30) while ranking second only to Ahlers in career hitting percentage (.302). Her 451 block assists rank second in OVC history. The middle blocker from St. Louis, Mo. established a new standard for blocks in a single season at UT Martin when she swatted away 162 attacks in 2005 – a record that still stands to this day. She tacked on 1,005 career kills, which ranked sixth in school history when she completed her eligibility. Her career-high of 12 blocks at Austin Peay on Sept. 30, 2006 were the second-most in a match in school history.
Lindsey Vicknair (1999-2002)
Vicknair graduated at No. 2 on the OVC’s all-time assists leaderboard with 5,050 – which is 1,748 more than any other player in UT Martin history. A three-time All-OVC first team honoree, she also leads the program in career assists per set (12.00) while ranking third with 142 career service aces. The Southaven, Miss. native owns the program record for most single-season assists (1,418 in 2001) and best single-season assists average (12.57 per set in 2000) as well as each of the best six single-match assist performances, dishing out a school-record 77 assists against Eastern Illinois on Nov. 17, 2001. The UT Martin Hall of Famer Class of 2010 led the Skyhawks to their first two OVC regular season titles (2001, 2002) and first OVC Tournament championship/NCAA Tournament berth in 2002.
Below is a listing of the top volleyball student-athletes and coaches in OVC history:
Rachel Ahlers, UT Martin (1999-2002)
Amy Almond, Morehead State (1999-2002)
Sue Antkowiak, Eastern Kentucky (1987-90)
Bridget Bessler, Morehead State (2019-22)
Abbey Breit, Jacksonville State (2004-07)
Angela Boykins, Eastern Kentucky (1983-86)
Cathy Brett, Eastern Kentucky (1983-86)
Stephanie Busch, Tennessee Tech (1997-2000)
Isabel Canedo, Austin Peay (1991·92)
Stephanie Champine, Austin Peay (2008-09)
Emily Coon, Southeast Missouri (2010-13)
Sarah Dearworth, Murray State (1991-94)
Taylor Dorsey, Tennessee Tech (2018-22)
Nikki Doyle, Austin Peay (2009-12)
Angie Duncan, Tennessee Tech (1983-87)
Kasey Elswick, UT Martin (2009-12)
Becca Fernandez, Murray State (2017-21)
Casie Garland, Morehead State (2001-04)
Erica Gerth, Eastern Illinois (2001-04)
Charlotte Gillespie, Eastern Kentucky (1981-84)
Rachel Giustino, Murray State (2016-19)
Liz Guard, Eastern Kentucky (2002-05)
Dayle Hamontree, Morehead State (1987-90)
Krista Haukap, Southeast Missouri (1997-2000)
Katrina Hendrix, Tennessee Tech (1982-85)
Scottie Ingram, Murray State (2013-16)
Jennifer James, Eastern Kentucky (1988-91)
Kelly Jennings, Eastern Kentucky (2003-06)
Katie Kenline, Tennessee Tech (2006-09)
Pam Kirsch, Southeast Missouri (1990-93)
Kappy Lang, Tennessee Tech (2005-08)
Kim Koehler, Murray State (1987-91)
Lexie Libs, Jacksonville State (2018-20)
Olivia Lohmeier, Morehead State (2017-21)
Lauren Mackey, Morehead State (1995-98)
Deanne Madden, Eastern Kentucky (1980-82)
Laney Malloy, Southeast Missouri (2018-21)
Leah Meffert, Tennessee Tech (2007-10)
Tuba Meto, Southeast Missouri (1994-98)
Amy Merron, Eastern Kentucky (1994-97)
Hannah Miranda, Belmont (2010-13)
Becky Murray, Tennessee Tech (1985-87)
Brittany Nobilio, Eastern Kentucky (2004-07)
Arianna Person, Belmont (2014-17)
Leslie Przekwas, Eastern Illinois (1998-2001)
Gina Rivera-Ortiz, Tennessee State (2018-22)
Emily Scannell, Southeast Missouri (2000-03)
Kathryn Sprague, UT Martin (2004-07)
Kirsten Stucker, Austin Peay (2015-18)
Kim Tunnell, Tennessee Tech (1982-85)
Heather Willis, Morehead State (1992-95)
Lindsey Vicknair, UT Martin (1999-2002)
Coaches of Note
Cindy Gannon, Southeast Missouri
Jaime Gordon, Morehead State
Cheryl Holt, Austin Peay
Taylor Mott, Austin Peay
Geri Polvino, Eastern Kentucky
Graphic courtesy of UT Martin Sports Information