Inductees

In the scenic south-central Missouri Ozarks, just north of Highway 60, there’s a town of roughly 600 that’s far more than a dot on the state map.

It’s Eminence, home to a competitive volleyball program that dates back to 1934.

“We had such a reputation that teams as far away as Springfield (two hours) traveled the distance just to play Eminence,” said Dena Cox Keeling, a 1983 graduate. “In the fall of ’79, we had over 50 girls wanting to be a Redwing volleyball player.”

That scene became common for years, and the success since then is why the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame proudly inducted Eminence High School Volleyball Program with the Class of 2025.

Talk about being tough to deal with. The Redwings have 10 top four state finishes in their history. They won Class 1 state championships in 1981 and 2011, and earned four state runner-up finishes in 1982, 1984, 1985 and 2008. Teams in 2002, 2003 and 2010 placed third, and fourth in 2016. Four others reached the state quarterfinals (1979, 1983, 1986, 1996).

They also won 22 district titles and 30 Big Springs Conference championships, including 14 consecutive from 1960 to 1973 and 10 consecutive from 1981 to 1990.

As 1958 senior Joy Gail Cox put it, “Our program was, and still is, built on teamwork, sportsmanship and hard work.”

And no frills.

“Eminence had arguably the worst gym in the state, architecturally speaking, but the atmosphere was like none other,” said Holly Morgan Smith, a 1990s player and later a coach. “The balcony would have high school kids screaming, ‘Ahhhh, BOOM,’ when our girls attacked the ball. The game had to be quicker, simply because the ceiling was so low! That old gym still stands, and it’s truly the house that built so many quality volleyball players.”

Varsity players certainly inspired younger girls. That has been significant, considering Eminence’s program is unlike other successful programs that may have had only two or three head coaches over, say, 40 years. Eminence counts 30 since 1940, including 21 since 1973.

That said, former players have served as head coaches, ensuring that expectations don’t fade.

Carolyn Smith Dyer, a 1985 graduate, said, “I think our long history of success even before there were postseason opportunities created strong pride in our school.”

Two years after winning its first district, the 1981 team welcomed new coach Jim Keeling, with a roster with little varsity experience.

“I think we have a state championship team,” he reportedly told them at the first practice.

Well, Eminence (24-2) won state, beating Sarcoxie not long after winning districts against Licking, a late 1970s powerhouse.

The mid-1980s teams added to tradition. Keeling coached through 1984, and returned in 1986 and 1990.

Some of Eminence’s 1990s teams could proudly say it took the eventual Class 1 state champions – Zalma, Bell City, Leopold, Bernie and Winona – to stop their seasons.

Eminence kept battling, with the 2002 and 2003 teams earning top four finishes.

Said Nora O’Dell Triplett, “We were surrounded by successful programs, so if we wanted to hold our own, we had to be tough.”

Shari Tune coached from 2007 to 2011, with the 2011 team winning state.

Getting there wasn’t easy. The 2008 team’s Cinderella run ended just short in the finals.

The 2010 team lost a heartbreaker in the state semifinals thanks to an obscure tiebreaker rule.

Said Kelsey Williams, a junior on the 2010 team, “I told myself in the hallway of the hotel, when we got the news and were all in tears, that we would not be coming back to the final four and leaving with anything but gold.”

Sure enough, the 2011 team (33-4-1) beat Valle Catholic for the title.

“The 2011 key players were all of them,” Tune said. “That was the best part. We were so small, but so balanced. Our tallest player was 5-foot-8, but they could all terminate and play defense.”

The 2016 team showed Eminence is still going strong.

“We knew we had to play every game with the mindset of, ‘I’m going to state,’” Kimberly Rolen Dyer said.

“They came in and worked out every single day to raise their verticals,” Brooke Williams Brawley said. “They came in before practice to do hitting reps. Stayed after to get in better shape.”

Said Glenda Thomas Ennis, a player in the 80s, “It’s an incredible feeling to know that our teams helped set a standard that future generations aspired to reach.”

Overall, what a run it’s been.