In 1989, the Ball State athletic department decided to take a chance and give its women's volleyball team's head coaching spot to an inexperienced 26-year-old assistant from its own staff. The former Cardinal player was given a challenge: get the team into the Mid-American Conference Championship Tournament in one year.
The Cardinals played well that season and finished with a winning record (13-12) for the first time in seven years. Although that was not good enough to make the tournament, Ball State saw promise in the young coach and kept him on in hopes he would turn the program around.
"In those early years, I was playing one point at a time and just trying to hang on, not knowing what the future held," Randy Litchfield said.
Seven MAC championships, six NCAA Tournament appearances, and 14 winning seasons later
One more chance
Cole McGrath, Senior Chief Reporter
Katie Butts has put together one of the most impressive careers of any Ball State women's volleyball player. She is one of only three players in school history to reach the 1,000 mark in both kills and digs in her career. She ranks in the top ten in BSU history in ten different statistical categories. She has been an All-Mid-American Conference selection in the past and is due consideration as a Player of the Year candidate this season.
Possibly most impressive about the senior outside attacker is that, if it weren't for people constantly telling her about all her accomplishments, she may never know about them.
"It is nice to be noticed, but I would much rather win the MAC and get to the NCAA," Butts said. "If I got a bunch awards, but we didn't win the MAC or do well in the NCAAs, I still wouldn't be satisfied."
It is that team-first mentality that has transformed Butts into what she is today. The current product is a long way from what head coach Randy Litchfield originally saw when Butts was still in high school.
"This girl and her family showed up in the seats here and at the time she weighed 100 pounds fully clothed with her shoes on," he said. "I could not believe the girl was a volleyball player."
Read More
Three Air Jam teams take home the win
October 12, 2012Nineteen teams shimmied, shook and flipped for a sold out John R. Emens Auditorium on Thursday night during the 25th annual Air Jam.
Bill Clinton Speaks at North Central High School
October 12, 2012Former President's Speech Could Have Effect on State Senate Race
