Dec. 19, 2003

St. Louis, Mo. - Recently retired Saint Louis University volleyball head coach Marilyn McReavy Nolen was inducted into the American Volleyball Coaches Association Hall of Fame as member of the inaugural class. The induction ceremony was conducted on Thu., Dec. 18, in conjunction with the 2003 AVCA Annual Convention in Dallas.

"I am truly humbled and honored to be a part of the first class inducted into the AVCA Hall of Fame," Nolen said. "Some of my former students are now my most cherished friends. They allowed me to be a part of their lives, and they all provided wonderful and lasting memories for me. I was blessed to have worked with so many great assistant coaches and players who made this all possible for me."

The 2003 class is comprised of 23 inductees: Iradge Ahrabi-Fard; Andy Banachowski; Doug Beal; Larry Bock; Jim Coleman; Linda Dollar; Dave and Bernice Epperson; Dixie Grimmett; Linda Herman; Debbie Hunter; Fran Kalafer; Darlene Kluka; Terry Liskevych; Sharon McAlexander; Stewart McDole; Marilyn McReavy Nolen; Elaine Michaelis; Mary Jo Peppler; Donald Shondell; Tom Tait; Barbara Viera and Lois Webb.

"The establishment of the AVCA Hall of Fame marks an important juncture in the recognition of coaching excellence for the volleyball community," Stephanie Schleuder, head volleyball coach at Macalester College and AVCA President, said. "Induction into the AVCA Hall of Fame will become synonymous with reaching the pinnacle of success as a professional coach. In addition to honoring coaches, the AVCA has established other important categories such as education and administration, where we will honor individuals for their vital professional contributions to the growth of volleyball. We are truly excited to be inducting our first class at the convention in Dallas."

A true pioneer in the sport of volleyball and the advancement of women's athletics, the 59-year-old Nolen recently completed her 32nd year of collegiate coaching and her 10th at the helm of the Billikens. She ranks third on the NCAA Division I coaching victory list and finished with a career record of 809-358-12 overall and 190-140 at SLU.

Nolen graduated cum laude from Southwest Texas State in 1966 with a bachelor's degree in education. As a player, Nolen played at the highest levels of the sport. She was selected to the U.S. national squad at the 1967 open tryouts. Her first international competition came at the 1967 Pan American Games in Montreal, where the U.S. team won a gold medal. In 1968, she played in the Mexico City Summer Olympics. In 1972, she was a member of the first U.S. women's team to defeat Japan. Nolen continued to represent her country in international play through 1975. She coached in over 1,000 matches and won three national championships. Nolen already has been honored with the AVCA Founders Award and is a member of the AVCA Wall of Fame member.

Printer-friendly format	Email this article