From Lady Vol to Legend: Coach April Honored At UTK Champions Weekend

Discover the legacy of UTK volleyball as Coach April Chapple shares her journey from 3-time SEC champion to 2003 Hall of Fame inductee during Champions Weekend.

I've got loyalty...inside my DNA.....

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I didn't think I was going to be this excited to return to the Tennessee campus and reunite with teammates, friends and fellow champions in other sports for the UTK Champions weekend.

Check out this Vol_sports video and let me know if you see anyone you recognize. 

I should have known better.

No one puts on a better show at Neyland Stadium...than the #7 ranked Tennessee Vols football team....and against the opposing Kentucky Wildcats...the Vols were in dark mode.

As it got closer to the departure date to arrive back in Knoxville for our reunion, our Lady Vol volleyball 1984 SEC championship team chat was getting busier with 1984 Tennessee teammates who I hadn't heard from in years excitedly expressing detailed plans on

• who was doing what
• who should do what together 
• who was wearing what and when
• what time to meet and 
• what to do first

It brought me back to what we did and how we sounded 40 years ago ..while on campus...whether it was organizing ourselves for practice, for road trips to nearby schools or plane trips across the country to compete...we fell right back into organizing ourselves and each other for the trip.  

It felt just like old times and I was pumped to travel across the country again and land at the McGhee-Tyson airport like I use to do so often years ago, to begin my Champion's Weekend experience at the University of Tennessee Knoxville on November 1-2 2024.

As I stepped onto the familiar grounds of the University of Tennessee Knoxville for Champions Weekend on November 1-2, 2024, a wave of familiarity and nostalgia came over me.

My last visit to campus was in 2003 when I came with my mother Sallye Chapple aka "GalSal" (rest in peace Mom) for the second University of Tennessee Hall of Fame induction ceremony where I was inducted with the second class of Lady Vol legends as the first volleyball inductee to attend and complete four years at UTK. 

As a proud record-setting Lady Vol and SEC volleyball champion, I couldn't wait to return to my alma mater for this incredible celebration of athletic achievement.

Let me tell you, stepping onto that campus after all these years was like a blast from the past.

It was exciting to see my 1984 SEC champion teammates who also made the trip and in a short time many memories came flooding back. It's where my journey as a Lady Vol began, and where I honed my skills to become the motivational elite private training coach that I am today.

We met at the Joan Cronan Volleyball Center, the playing facility where the Lady Vol volleyball team has trained since the early 2000s.

My freshman year as a Lady Vol was in 1981 so I never played in this facility, we played in the old Alumni gym where we used to walk to from our dorms on one end of campus all the way to the top of what everyone knows is called "The Hill"  on the opposite side of campus from 1982 to 1984.

Alumni Gym is unrecognizable having been renovated and has been turned into ..well look for yourself...

We all thought the wall sized mural of the team huddle was pretty cool.

Pictured from left to right and using the names I know before they got married, 1984 SEC Conference champions:

• outside hitter Donna Monaco (Hamaker),
• opposite outside Kris Kedbetter (Doan
• team manager extraordinaire Becky Hatcher (Duncan), 
• me, 
• defensive specialist Mary Gossett, 
• middle blocker Diane Borgerding, 
• outside hitter Stephanie Scheper Gilchrist and not pictured 
• setter Laurie Caraher 

In Alyssa Andreno's Youtube video tour she said the Player lounge was her favorite place...we quickly found out why...funny how our tour guide didn't show us the refrigerator or where they keep the snacks!!

Going out to where the courts are and looking over your shoulder at the wall on your left you'll see its dedicated to the highest finishing UTK volleyball team in Tennessee history which is the 2005 team which reached the Final Four. 

Fun fact they didn't win the SEC tournament but they did make a run all the way through their NCAA tournament bracket to be one of the last four remaining. 

Walking straight ahead to the wall opposite the facility entrance is the banner wall that hosts a collection of banners that list the years and dates of Tennessee volleyball team honors awards and accomplishments.

NCAA Appearances - from the time I arrived on campus in 1981 until the time I left it ..each of my four years (1981, 1982, 1983 and 1984) I played in the season ending NCAA Tournament with my Tennessee team. 

1981 - First round

1982 - Regional Semifinal

1983 - Regional Semifinal

1984 - Regional Semifinal

But wait, there's more!

The banner wall also highlights our NCAA Regional appearances. In 1981, my freshman year, we made it to the first round the first of four appearances in four (4) years. 

And speaking of firsts, in the next three years,  we became NCAA Regional Semifinalists making it to the second round in the NCAA Tournament in 1982, 1983 and 1984, 

Not too shabby, huh?

NCAA Regional Tournament -1981 First Round:

This was the first time after the AIAW era that the NCAA hosted the NCAA Tournament playoffs and Tennessee, my freshman year also made their appearance in the South regional bracket where we met Purdue who swept us ...a team full of freshmen and sophomores with only one senior Marie Therese Gilchrist ... so after that year we were determined to get better and make it further in the playoff tournament in subsequent years. 

That year USC won their fourth national title over UCLA in the finals, coached by Chuck Erbe 

NCAA Regional Semifinalists-1982, 1983, 1984

Lady Vols were NCAA regional semifinalists in 1982 where we lost in three sets to eventual NCAA tournament second place finishers USC Trojans who lost to Hawaii in the championship finals. 

In 1983, my junior year, the Tennessee Lady Vols went five sets in the first round against Florida State and pulled out an eventual victory in the fifth set. 

Once again we faced an NCAA championship finalist, (Dude we got no breaks, lol) this time a team that was led by my friend (current San Diego Mojo asst coach Deitre Collins Parker) who led her Hawaii team to the NCAA title that year. 

In 1984, after sweeping Eastern Kentucky in the first round, my Lady Vol team met eventual NCAA tournament champions the UCLA Bruins (who had a bunch of my friends on that team (setter Michelle Boyette, childhood friend Olympian outside hitter Liz Masakayan and Italian pro teammate Merja Connolly. 

SEC Regular Season Champions:

1981, 1982 and 1984

SEC Tournament Champions:

1981, 1982 and 1984

SEC championship team picture wall, and boy, was that a trip down memory lane!

This wall and the team photos on it stands as a testament to the fact that 40 years ago,

• as a starting outside freshman in 1981,
• a starting outside hitting sophomore in 1982 and 
• a starting outside hitter senior in 1984 

I helped a establish a record that has yet to be broken... 

In 40 years ..since I finished my collegiate volleyball career no other Tennessee team has done what I did on the four years of teams I played on from 1981 to 1984 winning 3 SEC Championship Tournaments in 4 years!

I love being a volleyball original, having met the short term and long term goals I set for myself as a late starting volleyball-playing sophomore in high school at St Bernard's High School in Playa del Rey California.  

Walking straight ahead to the wall opposite the facility entrance is the collection of SEC championship team pictures wall, and boy, was that a trip down memory lane!

There I was, in the 1981, 1982, and 1984 SEC championship team photos. Fun fact: my teammate Mary Gossett and I are the only three-time SEC champs in UTK volleyball history. How's that for leaving a legacy?

Next up was the individual picture All American wall.

I gotta say, seeing my portrait there, second from the left and second overall, gave me goosebumps. It's a reminder of the hard work and dedication that earned me the title of UTK's second-ever volleyball All-American.

Now, let's talk SEC championships. In my senior year, 1984, we clinched the SEC Regular Season Championship.

But that's not all – we also snagged the SEC Tournament Championship in '81, '82, and '84. I've been a part of teams that earned three titles in four years – a record that still stands today, 40 years later!

The SEC Athletic Honors wall was our next stop, and it was pretty cool to see my name up there honored on

• the All-Southeastern Conference Team in '82 and '84, 
• Southeastern All-Tournament Team in the same years, and – the cherry on top –
• Southeastern Tournament MVP in '84.

Not gonna lie, I was feeling pretty proud at that moment.

Not going to lie...having the entire Neyland Stadium empty while you're at a party at the yee haw Lounge the day before the Vols defeat kentucky...is a major FLEX!

Oh and on the giant screens your collegiate portrait is flashed on the screens during the whole event...Priceless...

Friday evening, we all gathered at the Yee-haw Lounge in Neyland Stadium for a Champion's Social BBQ lunch and team reunion.

Seeing our collegiate All-American photos on those Neyland Stadium giant screens the day before the big Kentucky vs Tennessee football game was surreal.

Totally like being back in time, but with better technology!

One of the highlights was reuniting with my long-time friends and fellow UTK honorees – four-time Olympians Sharrieffa Barksdale, Joetta Clark, and Sam Graddy.

These American world class track stars were part of the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics (88 and 92 Olympians) and we all went to school together and experienced the University of Tennessee Knoxville as collegiate student athletes and are Tennessee Volunteer Southeastern Conference champions too.

Talk about star power!

Hall of Fame Lady Vol Volleyball Icon April Chapple Honored Champions Weekend

The next day on the way to our Champion Tailgate....at the indoor football facility

And get this – there's a concrete square with my name on it, just like the Hollywood Walk of Fame! I couldn't resist snapping a pic.

Look at these two gorgeous human beings lookin like sisters..that's world famous        four-time olympian Joetta Clark and her beautfiful daughter ...we were checkiing in at Neyland Stadium for the champion athlete reunion and BBQ. 

Now, for all you aspiring volleyball players out there, let me break down why this matters. These achievements aren't just about trophies and banners. They represent years of hard work, dedication, and teamwork. As your potential coach, I bring all of that experience to the table.

When you're looking for a coach, you want someone who's been there, done that, right? Well, I've not only played at the highest collegiate level, but I've also represented the USA on the national team and played professionally in Italy. That's a world of experience right there!

But it's not just about the playing experience. As a former USA Volleyball High Performance coach and evaluator, I've got the inside scoop on elite-level training techniques. I'm talking about the kind of stuff that can take your game from good to great.

One thing that sets me apart is my focus on team building. During my time conducting camps at over 31 NCAA Division I college campuses, I picked up a ton of activities that improve team communication. Trust me, these skills are just as important as your vertical jump!

Now, I know there are a lot of coaches out there in Vegas. But how many can say they've won three SEC championships? Or been inducted into the UTK Hall of Fame? That's the kind of experience I bring to the table.

But here's the thing – it's not about bragging rights. It's about using that experience to help you reach your goals. Whether you're aiming for a college scholarship or just want to improve your game, I've got the tools to help you get there.

During the champions weekend, we got to relive some of our greatest moments. But you know what was even better? Seeing how those experiences shaped us into the people we are today. That's what I want to pass on to you.

One of the coolest parts of the weekend was being recognized during halftime of the Tennessee vs Kentucky football game. Picture this: a sold-out crowd at Neyland Stadium, the second-largest SEC stadium in the US, cheering for us. Talk about a rush!

But here's the real takeaway – that moment wasn't just about us. It was about inspiring the next generation of athletes. It's about showing you what's possible with hard work and dedication.

So, if you're a high school player looking to take your game to the next level, or a parent wanting the best for your volleyball star, listen up. You don't just want a coach – you want a mentor who's been where you want to go.

I've played in packed stadiums, won championships, and represented my country. But more importantly, I've learned how to build strong teams, communicate effectively, and overcome challenges. These are the skills that'll serve you well both on and off the court.

Remember, volleyball isn't just about the perfect serve or the killer spike. It's about teamwork, resilience, and pushing yourself to be better every day. That's what I learned at UTK, and that's what I want to teach you.

So, whether you're dreaming of playing college ball or just want to be the best player you can be, I'm here to help. With my experience as a SEC champion, Lady Vol, and UTK Hall of Fame inductee, I've got the knowledge and skills to take your game to the next level.

So, whether you're dreaming of playing college ball or just want to be the best player you can be, I'm here to help. With my experience as a SEC champion, Lady Vol, and UTK Hall of Fame inductee, I've got the knowledge and skills to take your game to the next level.

The champions weekend at the University of Tennessee Knoxville November 1-2 2024 wasn't just a trip down memory lane. It was a reminder of why I love this sport and why I'm passionate about coaching. It's about creating champions, both on the court and in life.

So, what do you say? Ready to train with a coach who's been there, done that, and got the championship rings to prove it? Let's hit the court and start your journey to becoming a champion. Trust me, it's going to be one heck of a ride!