1986 Women's Volleyball
*Photograph courtesy of Dickinson College Archives.

The 1986 Women's Volleyball team, with Head Coach Sue Daggett, shown during a season practice in the Kline Life Sports Learning Center. This photograph includes all twelve members of the team but one. The full team included C. Thompson, M. Swartz, K. Donohue, S. Hrab, N. Gaal, G. Palasits, C. Hallihan, L. Bates, M. Menzer, C. Berkebile, J. Gabardine, and M. Losty. Captains Natalie Gaal and Jean Gabardine led the team to an overall record of 14 wins and 18 losses. Both Natalie Gaal and Carolyn Thompson were named to the All Conference Team.

Women's Volleyball became a varsity sport in the 1976 season. Elaine Goldband began coaching the team in 1979 and by 1982 Volleyball attracted enough attention to have both a Varsity and  Junior Varsity team, and a victory in the Dickinson Invitational.   After rebuilding in 1983, the 1984 women's volleyball team ended the season with 15 wins and 14 losses. Goldband pointed out the turning point for the team's confidence that year in a match played against Gettysburg College when Dickinson was forced to play without substitutes and won anyway, three to two.

With Coach Daggett arriving in 1985, there was another successful 14 -12 record, with Dickinson playing well in both the Dickinson Invitational and the North/South Classic. ln 1988, the women's volleyball team had their most successful season yet. A new coach named Bill Helm had replaced Coach Daggett, who had left for graduate school, and with a record of 30 wins and only eight losses, Dickinson proceeded to win an ECAC Championship title. The 1990 record shows 17 wins to 14 losses but this was the final winning season women's volleyball would see up through 1996.

See also: Volleyball 1979

Allie Feldman



Sources
*All information was obtained from the Dickinson Microcosm's from 1979 through 1996.