With the end of the Volleyball season near, I thought it would be a help to celebrate our history of past successes in the Volleyball program and inspire these ladies as they look to wrap up the regular season as well as hosting the Southland Conference tournament.

After Kathy Goodlett’s first championship, her 1987 Lion Volleyball team would prove to be even better than the 1986 squad. With 31 wins, this team was incredibly full of talent and had wins against teams reaching from the Southwest Conference like Baylor to an 8-1 Lone Star Conference record. This team was amazing and after the regular season, the Lions won their second straight regular season title along with a second straight apperance in the NCAA Division II regionals, where they finished as regional finalists, where they lost to eventual national finalist Central Missouri State, 3-1. It was an amazing season where in two seasons, Goodlett and the Lions had posted a 53-8 record, the best two year stretch in school history.

Five Lions earned accolades in 1987, including the last two All-American recognitions Lions volleyball would receive until 2001. Alice Fortes snagged her first AVCA All-American award, and Paulette Pilcik was named a second team AVCA All-American for the second year in a row. Both Fortes and Pilcik were named to the first team AVCA All-Region, as well as First Team All-LSC. Angie Buantello, Teresa McLain, and Angie Neylon were all named to the Second Team All-LSC. Fortes, McLain, and Pilcik each earned a spot on the All-LSC Academic team as well.