The Missouri Sports Hall of Fame honored Jacquie Dowdy of John Q. Hammons Hotels & Resorts with the President’s Award and inducted four individuals and three programs during its annual Women’s Sports Luncheon sponsored by the Bee Payne-Stewart Foundation and presented by Central Bank/Central Trust on Wednesday.
President & Executive Director Jerald Andrews presided over the luncheon, which drew a crowd of 800 to the University Plaza Hotel & Convention Center in Springfield. The Hall of Fame inducted the Diamond High School Volleyball Program, Central High School and Drury University swimmer Michelle Langsford Dickemann, former Eldon High School and Camdenton High School volleyball coach Ann Gulshen, longtime Missouri State Lady Bears basketball assistant Lynnette Robinson, Missouri Southern State University Women’s Cross Country and Track & Field coach Patty Vavra and the MSSU Women’s Cross Country and Track & Field Programs.
The Hall of Fame also recognized the Wynn Awards, named in honor of Missouri State University’s Dr. Mary Jo Wynn and presented to former high school, college and pro standouts who made positive impacts in their respective sports. This year’s recipients were track and field standout Shelley Seider Davis (Rich Hill High School/Pittsburg State University), swimmer Brianne McGuirk Madura (Missouri State University), The Opfer Sisters (Lorin Fiehler, Alix and Kasey) of Glendale High School Soccer, track and field’s Brenda Hayes Raynor (Branson High School/Missouri State University), track and field’s Trudi Spain (Missouri State University), three-sport athlete Dana Ozbun Stillwagon (Doniphan High School/Southwest Baptist University) and volleyball’s Bri Walsh (Clever High School/MSU-West Plains/Evangel University).
Jacquie Dowdy – President’s Award
Dowdy received the President’s Award, given to an individual who supports the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame. Dowdy is the CEO of John Q. Hammons Hotels & Resorts, having worked in various capacities for the company since 1972. For years, she served as a significant liaison between Mr. Hammons and the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame as well as the PGA Web.com Tour’s Price Cutter Charity Championship presented by Dr Pepper. Since Mr. Hammons’ passing, Dowdy has continued to be a liaison between the Hall of Fame and Mr. Hammons’ estate, as she has continually supported the Hall of Fame’s efforts as well as contributed to the success of the PCCC.
Diamond High School Volleyball Program
The Diamond High School Volleyball Program is one of the most successful in the state, having reached the Final Four eight times between 1983 and 1996, including five consecutive seasons in the 1980s. In its state tournament history, Diamond won Class 2 state championships in 1983 under coach Bob Moore and 1985 under coach Dale Shrum and finished as state runner-up five times (1984, 1986, 1987, 1991, 1996). The team placed third in 1988. Bill Presley, who coached Diamond in the early 1980s, returned to coach from 1987 to 1999.
Michelle Langsford Dickemann – Central High School & Drury University Swimmer
A 1981 graduate of Central High School, Dickemann was the first girls’ swimmer from Springfield to win a state title, accomplishing the feat as a sophomore in 1979. She went on to lead College of the Ozarks to a fourth-place finish at the NAIA national meet in 1982 and then transferred to Drury University, which at the time had only a men’s team. She competed in women’s competition in the postseason and was NAIA Most Valuable Swimmer in 1984 and 1985, was a 21-time NAIA All-American, plus set and won the same number (14) of NAIA national records and national championships. In 1991, Dickemann became the first Drury athlete to be inducted into the NAIA Swimming Hall of Fame. She is CEO of Springfield-based MD Publications, which publishes automotive trade journals.
Ann Gulshen – Eldon High School & Camdenton High School Volleyball Coach
Gulshen compiled 704 victories as a high school volleyball coach in 29 seasons before retiring in 2011, establishing Gulshen among the top five winningest volleyball coaches in Missouri history. Overall, she coached 16 seasons at Eldon High School and 13 years at Camdenton High School. She won 407 games at Eldon, with the Lady Mustangs reaching the state semifinals eight times, winning the 1991 state championship as well as 16 conference and 15 district titles. At Camdenton, she guided the program to three district titles and four conference championships. Gulshen is a 1976 graduate of Eldon High School and 1980 graduate of the University of Missouri.
Lynnette Robinson – Missouri State University Lady Bears Basketball Assistant Coach
Robinson was an assistant to Missouri State University women’s head basketball coach Cheryl Burnett for 15 seasons, during which time the Lady Bears won 316 games, won or tied for eight regular-season conference titles, five league tournament titles and made 10 NCAA tournament appearances with trips to the NCAA Final Four in 1992 and 2001. A native of Annawan, Ill., and a graduate of the University of Illinois, Robinson came to Missouri State when Burnett took over as head coach and was inducted into the MSU Athletics Hall of Fame in 2015.
Patty Vavra – Missouri Southern State University Coach Women’s Cross Country and Track & Field Coach
Vavra coached the women’s cross country and track & field programs for 22 seasons at her alma mater, Missouri Southern State University, guiding 43 individuals who earned 80 track and field All-Americans and 10 cross country All-Americans. She also earned 12 Coach of the Year honors from the MIAA (Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association). The 2009 cross country team won the NCAA Regional, its third consecutive, and placed third at the NCAA Division II national championships. In 2007-2008, the MSSU women’s cross country and indoor and outdoor track and field teams combined to win the MIAA Triple Crown. Overall, Vavra’s cross country teams won seven MIAA championships, while indoor and outdoor track combined for five titles. Vavra is a 1976 graduate of Joplin Memorial High School and was one of the first women to earn an athletic scholarship from Missouri Southern. After graduation, she coached Carthage High School for 14 years, guiding two individual state champions.
MSSU Women’s Cross Country and Track & Field Programs
The Women’s Cross Country Program at Missouri Southern State University has, since 1994, produced 10 All-Americans and 35 All-Regional performers as well as four MIAA champions. The program’s 2007, 2008 and 2009 teams won an NCAA Division II Regional, with the 2009 team placing third at the NCAA D-II Championships. Additionally, the Lions won the MIAA seven times (1998, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2012 and 2014). Meanwhile, the Women’s Track & Field Program won the MIAA Indoor in 2004 and 2008 and the MIAA Outdoor in 2008, 2009 and 2010. Since 1994, the program has produced four national champions and more than 100 All-Americans.
Wynn Awards
Shelley Seider Davis, Rich Hill High School & Pittsburg State University: Davis was a nine-time state champion in track in Class 1 in the early 2000s and led Rich Hill to two team state championships. In fact, as a junior in 2003, she became the 10th girl in history to win four or more events at the Missouri High School State Track & Field Championships. Specifically, Davis was a three-time state champion in both the 300-meter low hurdles and long jump, plus a two-time champion in the 100 meters and also a champion in the 200 meters. Davis, who went on to Pittsburg State University, co-owns Davis Duo Design in Appleton City.
Brianne McGuirk Madura, Missouri State University: Madura was a dominate swimmer for Missouri State University from 1999 to 2003, becoming the first MSU women’s swimmer ever to win an individual event in conference competition as she won both the 100-yard and 200-yard breaststroke races as a freshman. Overall, the El Paso, Texas native was a four-time conference champion in the 200-yard breaststroke and finished in the top five of the 100-yard breaststroke every year. As a senior in 2003, she was the co-captain of MSU first women’s team to capture the conference title. An MSU Athletics Hall of Fame inductee, she works in IT for Prime, Inc.
The Opfer Sisters of Glendale High School Soccer – Lorin Fiehler, Alix & Kasey: Lorin was a two-time All-State selection (2006, 2008) for Glendale, helping the Lady Falcons win two district championships as well as a 2008 sectional. She then signed to play at Truman State University before transferring to the University of Missouri, where Fiehler was part of its club soccer team’s national championship in 2011. She now lives in Colorado. Alix was a two-time All-State selection and a four-year starter at Glendale, leading the Lady Falcons to three Final Fours. As a senior, she was the State Defensive Player of the Year as well as the Regional and District Player of the Year. She went on to Missouri State University, earning earning Missouri Valley Conference honors all four years. She finished having played in 73 matches, making 72 starts, and scored 20 points her final year – just the sixth player in program history to achieve that mark. She is in a master’s program at St. Louis University. Kasey was three-time All-State selection for Glendale. As a senior in 2015, she was named to the National Soccer Coaches Association of American All-Midwest Team and was rated as the No. 150 recruit in the nation, finishing her career with 73 goals and 31 assists. She also played for two Elite Club National League teams, Tulsa and St. Louis, leading them to a combined three national titles. She is currently a part of the Iowa State University women’s soccer program.
Brenda Hayes Raynor, Branson High School & Missouri State University: A standout track athlete, Raynor won a Class 3 state championship in the 800 meters for Branson High School in 1989, finishing an undefeated senior season. At MSU, she won 16 all-conference honors, including 10 in indoor track, five in outdoor track and one in cross country. That covered Raynor winning three conference championships (Indoor 800 in 1991, Indoor mile in 1992, Outdoor 3,200-meter relay in 1992). Raynor also led the program to its best track finish in 10 years with a second place at the 1992 conference meet and, in addition to all-conference and all-academic honors, she held or shared four school records at the time of her induction (2004) into the MSU Athletics Hall of Fame. Raynor, who was voted the MSU Track All-Decade Team, runs Springfield-based Organizational Marketing Solutions LLC.
Trudi Garrett Spain, Missouri State Track & Field: Spain won six Missouri Valley Conference championships for Missouri State University in the late 1990s and early 2000s, also qualifying for the NCAA Track & Field Championships on two relay teams (400 meters in 1997 and 1,600 meters in 1999). Both relays set school records, with the 1,600 team winning the Valley in a conference record time. Spain, who also was on the school-record 800-meter relay as a sophomore, won Valley titles in the indoor long jump and outdoor 200 meters and long jump. Along the way, Spain helped the Bears win three Valley Indoor championships and, at the time she graduated, she held all-time top five times in school history in the indoor 60 meters and the outdoor 200 meters. A former member of the Barbados National Track and Field Team, she now works for Wil Fischer Companies.
Dana Ozbun Stillwagon, Doniphan High School & Southwest Baptist University: Stillwagon was an all-conference selection in basketball in 1982 and 1983 at Doniphan High School, where she also still holds the volleyball program’s record in blocks (159 in 1982). At Southwest Baptist University from 1983 to 1987, she was a three-sport athlete. In volleyball, she was an NAIA All-American as a sophomore, ranked fifth in the nation in blocks as a junior, and earned multiple all-conference and All-District 16 selections. In basketball, her 682 rebounds are fifth in SBU history but were second-most at the time of her graduation. She scored 971 points and had 682 rebounds in 100 career games and was All-MIAA. Stillwagon also played one season of softball at SBU. She and her husband, John, and their sons Bradley and Conner are SBU alums, while daughter Jennifer is attending the university.
Bri Walsh, Clever High School/Missouri State-West Plains/Evangel University: An All-State volleyball player, Walsh helped lead Clever to four district championships and was named conference MVP her senior year as the team finished 33-3. As a senior, her 463 kills were the most in southwest Missouri. She went on to Missouri State-West Plains as an outside attacker, guiding the Grizzlies to two Region 16 Championships in 2008 and 2009 as well a seventh-place and runner-up finish at the Juco national tournament, respectively. Those teams were a combined 65-24. She earned All-Region 16 honors both years. At Evangel, Walsh earned NAIA All-American honors her senior year as she helped Evangel win its first conference title and completed a two-year stretch with a combined record of 56-12. The two-time All-Heart of America Athletic Conference selection is now an assistant volleyball coach at Missouri State-West Plains.
