Former Midland College Volleyballers Return for Alumnae Match

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By Forrest Allen
Midland College Athletic Director

For the third consecutive year, former members of the Midland College Lady Chaparral volleyball team returned to the Midland and the familiar surroundings of the Al G. Langford Chaparral Center. This year 15 former team members comprised two teams affectionately called "Team Green" and "Team Gold" to square off for a friendly yet competitive contest of wills and bragging rights. Also joining the night's festivities was former head coach Kimberly (Boone) Weaver. Weaver is currently the head coach at Liberty Christian School in the DFW area and coached the team from 2007-2010 (four seasons).

2012 is the 10th anniversary of the program which was created after Midland College dropped their highly successful women's golf program. The roster of Alumnae game participants included players from the inaugural team in 2002. From that first-ever team in '02 was Tori Perkins. Perkins will forever be known as the first volleyball athlete to sign with the Lady Chap program. Other returning players were Jamie Thomas (2003), Jessica Martinez (2004), Tiffany (Edwards) Jack, Holli Reyna and Taryn (Rogers) Parker each of whom ended their MC careers in 2006. Additionally there was Nikki (Stokes) Springer (2007), Brianna (Ausdenmoore) Tunnell (2008). Rounding out the returnees are Karen Compton, Samantha Salazar, Kristen Beck and Sarah Otwell (2009), Callie Stewart (2010) as well as Sarah Sawyer and Trinity Walker of the 2011 team.

Interestingly six of the 14 players are currently coaching on the club, high school or college levels. Reyna (MC 2004-2006) is the currently coach at fellow Western Junior College Athletic Conference member school, Clarendon College. She is in her first season at Clarendon.