Heidelberg Athletics Hall of Fame
In 1986, Heidelberg University’s volleyball program was still relatively new and unrecognized in the Ohio Athletic Conference. Led by third-year head coach Jani Oder-Yanni, Heidelberg had plans to rewrite the script and establish themselves as a force to be reckoned with.
The volleyball program that began official intercollegiate competition in 1984 got off to 34-43 start over the first two years, including a 9-15 OAC record. The team, led by returning 1985 All-OAC performers Jill Noble and Laurie Krizovski established a new standard, winning 29 matches in 1986 -- a record that would last until 2008 for most wins in a single season. They finished ’86 with an overall record of 29-8 and an OAC record of 14-2, winning the first regular season OAC Championship in program history.
Fifteen years before rally scoring was implemented across the NCAA, Berg began their season away to Wooster -- a match in which they won three sets to zero. Six days later, the women opened their home schedule inside Seiberling Gymnasium, defeating Rio Grande and Denison to improve their record to 3-0. After beating Kenyon, 2-0, Heidelberg picked up their first loss of the season away to Malone College on September 23.
Three days later, the Student Princes participated in the Ohio Northern Invitational, in which the team qualified for the finals, defeating Defiance, Grove City and Baldwin Wallace. The Berg eventually lost to Grove City in the finals by a 2-1 score.
Heidelberg got off to a slow start in OAC play, dropping their opener away to Baldwin Wallace 2-1. However, the Student Princes rebounded nicely, stringing together 12 straight conference victories to establish control of the league. Berg eventually lost to Ohio Northern 2-0, dropping to 12-2 in the conference.
The Tricolor bounced back from the Ohio Northern loss, defeating both Muskingum and Mount Union in straight sets to claim their first regular season OAC Championship in program history with a conference record of 14-2.
In the opening round of the OAC playoffs, Heidelberg faced Mount Union, knocking off the Purple Raiders by a score of 2-0 (15-1, 18-16). For their next match, Heidelberg traveled to Baldwin Wallace University, where their season came to a close. Berg dropped the match 2-0 to BW.
The efforts of many on the 1986 team would not go unnoticed. Noble, a senior, compiled a stat line of 233 kills, 21 assists, 187 digs, and 23 total blocks to lead the Student Princes, en route to being named First-Team All-OAC, First-Team All-Ohio and MVP. Fellow senior Carrie Flora contributed 64 kills, 14 assists, 183 digs, and 15 total blocks to earn Honorable Mention All-OAC honors.
Krizovski, a junior, chipped in with 202 kills, 12 assists, 12 digs, and 91 total blocks to earn Second-Team All-OAC and First-Team All-Ohio honors. Kim Miller who tallied 4 kills, 350 assists, and 88 digs was also tabbed to the Second-Team All-OAC. Freshman Erica Striker was named Honorable Mention All-OAC after compiling 166 kills, 11 assists, 135 digs, and 16 total blocks.
Oder-Yanni was named as OAC Coach of the Year for her efforts in leading the team to their first OAC Regular Season Championship in program history.
The 1986 team still remains in the record books as the first team to be crowned OAC Regular Season Champions, and still sits in fourth place for most wins in a single season.
Roster:
1 Kim Miller S Jr. Monroeville
2 Karla Stucky S Jr. Bloomville
3 Amy Parcher H Fr. Milan
4 Carrie Flora H Sr. Arcanum
5 Meladee Hopkins S Fr. Marion
6 Stacey Sheppard DS So. Duncan Falls
7 Kim Betz H Fr. Tallmadge
8 Jill Noble H Sr. Ashland
9 Tammy Schaffer H Fr. St. Paris
10 Erica Striker H Fr. Bucyrus
11 Chris Baran H Fr. Lorain
12 Monica Crabb H So. Lima
13 Lori Schneider H Jr. Cleveland
14 Laurie Krizovski H Jr. Barberton
15 Jeannie Michaels H Fr. Avon Lake
Stacie Rickard DS Fr. Attica
Beth Roberts S Fr. Sycamore
Head Coach: Jani Oder
Student Assistant: Darlene Thacker
Heidelberg 3 Wooster 0
Heidelberg 2 Rio Grande 0
Heidelberg 2 Denison 1
Heidelberg 2 Kenyon 0
Heidelberg 0 Malone 2
Heidelberg 2 Mount Vernon 1
Heidelberg 2 Defiance 0
Heidelberg 2 Grove City 1
Heidelberg 2 Baldwin Wallace 0
Heidelberg 1 Grove City 2
Heidelberg 1 Gallaudet 2
Heidelberg 2 Oberlin 0
Heidelberg 2 Ohio Wesleyan 0
Heidelberg 2 Defiance 0
Heidelberg 2 Ohio Dominican 0
Heidelberg 1 Baldwin Wallace 2
Heidelberg 2 Capital 0
Heidelberg 2 Marietta 0
Heidelberg 2 Muskingum 0
Heidelberg 2 Wittenberg 0
Heidelberg 2 Otterbein 0
Heidelberg 2 Mount Union 0
Heidelberg 2 Ohio Northern 1
Heidelberg 2 John Carroll 0
Heidelberg 1 Thiel 2
Heidelberg 2 Capital 0
Heidelberg 2 Baldwin Wallace 0
Heidelberg 0 Bluffton 3
Heidelberg 2 Wittenberg 0
Heidelberg 2 Marietta 1
Heidelberg 2 Otterbein 0
Heidelberg 0 Ohio Northern 2
Heidelberg 2 Muskingum 0
Heidelberg 2 Mount Union 0
Heidelberg 2 Case Western 0
Heidelberg 2 Mount Union 0
Heidelberg 0 Baldwin Wallace 2
(This profile was published in the 2018 Hall of Fame Banquet program.)
