photo by Gloria Diaz
After four years on the University of La Verne women’s volleyball team, seniors Adele Jones, Jennifer Stout and Amy Kratochvil topped off their collegiate career with a third-place national standing in NCAA Division III and a 55-1 record in SCIAC. Through their four-year journey, they have earned one national championship and three regional championships together.
Most athletes never live the dream of playing college sports. For those that do, a conference championship is a rare achievement and a national title is even more so. But in the past four years the University of La Verne women’s volleyball team has experienced four consecutive conference championships, three regional championships and a national title. ULV’s four-year seniors, Adele Jones, Amy Kratochvil and Jen Stout have experienced it all, as well as accolades of their own along the way.
Bringing individual strengths, these three women, all starters since their freshman year, have played an important role in ULV becoming a prominent volleyball program not only in the Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conf-erence, but also in the nation.
In four years these Leopards recorded 110 wins, resulting in a 110-13 overall career record, 55-1 in SCIAC. Currently the team holds a SCIAC record with 50 straight conference wins.
“They have absorbed and learned about the culture, the style, the atmosphere of what we call ‘La Verne volleyball’,” head coach Don Flora said. “They’ve learned about what that means and now as seniors are handing down the mentality and environment of how we practice and play.”
It would appear that the collegiate careers of these three women have been just about perfect, but they would like to disagree.
All three love the competition involved in volleyball and want to win. They expect nothing less.
“Winning a national title your freshman year, that’s what you expect the rest of the time... so it’s not quite perfect,” Stout said.
The last two seasons the Leopards fell just short of a second national championship, taking two consecutive third-place finishes.
“In perspective it’s good,” Kratochvil said. “But we had a lot of high expectations. If we know we’re the best then we should be the best.”
They still consider the 2001 national championship one of their greatest accomplishments.
“Winning a national championship is the highest accomplishment in Division III volleyball,” Jones said. “That we already did that is hard to believe sometimes.”
Having played together for four years, Jones, Kratochvil and Stout have a connection like no other on the team.
“Because we’ve played together in so many games and tournaments we can almost read each other,” Kratochvil said.
“We have so much respect, confidence, love and trust. We don’t really need to tell each other. It’s something we just know because of the bond we’ve had over the past four years,” Stout said.
“We have an unspoken understanding with each other because we’ve played together so long. If we’re down a game we don’t have to say anything. We know what we have to do to step it up to take the match,” Jones said.
But it was not until this season was coming to an end that they realized what they had accomplished and that they had been there through it all together.
“We never realized it until people told us,” Stout said. “All the accomplishments have been in the back of our heads. None of us three have ever been emotional. I’m thinking when it’s all done it’s going to be hard.”
Coming from different backgrounds and experiences, each of these three seniors brings something different to ULV’s program and have all been honored for their performances.
Kratochvil, an outside hitter, was awarded National Rookie of the Year in her freshman season at ULV. Her sophomore and senior seasons she was voted SCIAC Player of the Year. She has been All-West Region three seasons in a row, was a third-team All-American her sophomore year, a second team All-American last season and a first-team selection this season. She is one of only two ULV volleyball players to have been an All-American three times.
A liberal studies major from Arcadia, Kratochvil began playing volleyball at age 16. In three seasons at Arcadia High School, Kratochvil was awarded All-CIF honors and was Pacific League MVP as well as Team MVP two seasons. She also played soccer in addition to volleyball.
“She hits a heavy ball and can terminate from anywhere on the court and put the ball away,” Flora said.
Stout has moved around the court for the Leopards, balancing her time as outside hitter and libero. An athletic training major from Rancho Cuca-monga, she was selected as a second team All-SCIAC player this season. She started playing volleyball at age 14. An all around athlete, Stout competed in not only volleyball, but soccer, softball and basketball at Rancho Cucamonga High School. She was her team MVP two years at RCHS.
“Jen is a ball-control defensive gem with great instincts for the ball offensively and defensively,” Flora said, adding that her impact on the court is making the big dig or defensive play at crunch time.
Jones, an opposite side hitter, was a second-team All-SCIAC player sophomore year and a first-team selection this season as well as an honorable mention All-West region player.
Jones, a speech communications major from Fresno, has been playing volleyball since age 14. At Roosevelt High School she was an All-North Yosemite League player and a two-time team MVP. She also competed in basketball.
“Adele is ‘miss consistent’ with blocks, sets and she has a great arm and she’s smart offensively,” Flora said.
Stout, Jones and Kratochvil each echoed each others’ sentiments that they had grown personally as a result of ULV volleyball. Lessons they have learned include responsibility, teamwork, discipline and dedication.
“My college volleyball experience has taught me so much,” Kratochvil said. “So many life lessons: discipline, teamwork, responsibility. I’ll be able to carry theses things with me for the rest of my life. Awards are just an added bonus. Winning is a great feeling just as long as my team succeeds.”
“By being a part of this program I feel I’ve grown so much as a person,” Jones said. “Looking back I’ll remember close relationships with teammates and how fun it was. It’s great being a part of a successful program; it’s fun to travel, compete and win.”
“Playing volleyball here has definitely changed my life in many ways other than athletically,” Stout says. “I’ve grown so much, become a leader and learned responsibility.”
All three plan to graduate in May with their respective degrees. Stout and Kratochvil plan to coach club volleyball in the spring at Club West in La Verne.
“Their vision and game understanding has just blossomed in the last two or three years, really over four years,” Flora said. “Because of that they all could make really great coaches.”
As the past four years progressed, the senior class was strengthened with the addition three more seniors.
In 2002, Amanda Thomas took the position of setter that had been left empty by All-American and 2001 Player of the Year Ryan Winn, who Stout called “world’s greatest.”
“Amanda had to step into a tough role,” Stout said. “She’s just grown so much and is a huge aspect of this team. She’s the setter, the quarterback. She’s very smart out there and makes good decisions. Her senior year she has definitely grown in her decision making.”
This season Thomas was honored as a second-team All-SCIAC selection, an All-West Region player and an honorable mention All-American.
Also transferring that same season was outside hitter Sara Lupu.
“From the moment you meet her you know she’s a leader,” Jones said. “She’s very vocal. I think everyone looks up to her. She’s very motivated and talented. She’s one of those people who doesn’t play all the time, but when she’s on the court she has a positive impact.”
Middle blocker Tricia Schary joined the squad last season to complete the six-senior line-up. Schary was named the 2003 SCIAC Player of the Year and was an All-West Regional player and All-American two years in a row.
“On the court she’s the loudest and most energetic,” Kratochvil said of Schary. “She’s so inspiring, she makes me want to play better. She leads our team big time because she’s so loud.”
Flora said he has not had nearly as much talent in a senior class as this one in his tenure with ULV volleyball.
He referred to the six seniors as “the most talented and a big part of our emotional stability.”
“They all understand their role toward our success,” Flora said. “They’re the reason we’re one of the elite teams in the country.”
A lot of talent will be graduating and leaving the program, but Flora does not have doubts looking into next season. The Leopards will return 13 players to next year’s squad.
“The cupboards are definitely not bare. I’m thrilled about our underclassmen and returning payers,” Flora said. “Why we’re so good is our seniors practice against a great set of underclassmen. That said, it’s hard to replace the presence and knowledge of our six seniors. They’ve played in numerous elite collegiate volleyball environments.”
Chrissy Zehrbach can be reached at sqweet@aol.com.