Tradition of Success: A Feature on the 1997 and 1998 Regis Volleyball Teams
RMAC Media Relations
This is the final profile of the inductees for the 2018 RMAC Hall of Fame on Friday, July 13 at the Colorado Springs Marriott Hotel. To read the other feature stories, click here.
Two decades ago, the 1997 and 1998 Regis University Volleyball Teams became two of the most successful teams in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference (RMAC), making history in back-to-back years.
Entering the 1997 season was like any other year for head coach Frank Lavrisha and assistant coach Frank Gray, who were in their 11
th and first season with the Rangers, respectively. However, little did anyone know, this team would be headed to the national tournament for the fifth consecutive year.
“We knew we had the basis for a great team,” stated Gray. “…What we had was a great complimenting class coming in, that allowed us to take the already proven assets we had and turn our team to a juggernaut…[But] you don’t exactly know what you have until the character of that particular team comes together.”
The 1997 team consisted of Christine (Moreland) Barulich, Nikki (Van Reusen) Brown, Denyse (Oswald) Gibbs, Jeanine (Dwyer) Gruenwald, Jennifer (Dodgin) Ianiero, Melinda (Almazan) Parisi, Merian (Middleton) Purcell, Sarah Sahm, Sarah Sharpe, Renee (Trechter) Snodgrass, Maureen Stolle, Shannon (Nelson) VanNatter, and Jennifer (Rupp) Vaughan.
Together, they garnered a 32-4 overall record and went 18-1 in the RMAC. They won the 1997 RMAC regular season title and the RMAC Tournament title. Regis made their fifth consecutive National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Tournament appearance and advanced to the NCAA Quarterfinals for the fourth time in program history. Though successful, it was time for Lavrisha and Gray to recruit new prospective student-athletes in preparation for the next season.
“[The 1997] team was super close already,” recalled Gray. “Bringing in the new players and new pieces into the [1998] team was critical.”
During the 1998 season, ten student-athletes returned, which included Barulich, Brown, Gruenwald, Ianiero, Parisi, Purcell, Sahm, Stolle, VanNatter, and Vaughan. The incoming class featured Amie (Schraeder) Landman, Tara McIntire, Ginger (Craig) Victor and Renee (Faubion) Wiseman.
After falling short in the national tournament, the 1998 team was more hungry and eager to get back on the court and begin their road to nationals.
“We know what it takes to get [to nationals] and it’s hard; that’s what makes us want it that much more,” said Gray. “That’s what brought back that motivation.”
The dynamic and cohesiveness of the 1998 team proved to be some of their best character traits, but the leadership from senior setter Melinda Parisi was key.
“Melinda was a tremendous performer before I ever started to work with her,” commented Gray. “The competitiveness was already there; the athleticism was already there. Those were things that Melinda came to Regis University with…She could run the offense; she could understand what we were trying to do as a scheme. Melinda was already finding those matchups, finding what matchups were working for us [and] the plays that were working for us.”
Parisi played for the Rangers from 1996 to 1998. She was named to the RMAC All-Time Volleyball team during the RMAC Centennial Celebration and was inducted into the RMAC Hall of Fame in 2005. She was recognized nationally as a dynamic player on the court being named American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) Division II Player of the Year in 1998. She finished her career a two-time RMAC Player of the Year (1997, 1998), three-time First Team All-RMAC, two-time First Team All-American, and two-time Academic All-American.
Parisi and the 1998 team would accomplish another feat, returning to nationals for another year, making it to the NCAA Semifinals for the first time in 10 years.
“Hard work was not an option and that was something both the 1997 and 1998 teams had in common; they were willing to put in the effort.”
In 1998, the Rangers made it to the NCAA Division II Final Four, finishing the season 31-4 overall. They defended the RMAC regular season title with a 17-2 record and were crowned back-to-back RMAC Tournament Champions. Nonetheless, the success of both teams was largely due to the guidance of a seasoned head coach.
“The thing that makes Frank [Lavrisha] such an excellent coach is his consistent focus with the team on character and work ethic,” said Gray. “…When you look at Frank’s career and what an excellent coach, mentor and person that he is, you can see why he had all these different bursts of championship level teams.”
To this date, the 1997 team holds a program record 16-game win streak and the 1998 team was one of two teams in program history to advance to the NCAA Final Four. Lavrisha retired after the 2016-17 season having coached 30 years in the RMAC. The next year, he came out of retirement and currently serves as the women’s head volleyball coach at University of San Francisco.
The 1997 and 1998 Regis Volleyball Teams set up a model of success at Regis and have been noted as two of the most accomplished teams in Regis and RMAC history. They will be recognized at the 2018 RMAC Hall of Fame & Awards Banquet on Friday, July 13 at the Colorado Springs Marriott Hotel. To purchase tickets online, visit the
RMAC Hall of Fame page.