Perhaps the feelings of fall varsity athletes can be summed up by the words on a whiteboard in Alumni Gym, where new head coach Emily Hayes leads the 乐播传媒 volleyball program.

Under the header “Practice 1” on Wednesday, it read, “Thankful.”

“You will hear the same thing from everyone,” said field hockey forward Emily Gianunzio ’22 of Darien, Conn. “This is amazing. To be together on the field has been great.”

The 乐播传媒 fall sports teams haven’t played an actual intercollegiate game since 2019. Last year, they practiced, but with masks.

The first practices of the year were Wednesday. First up was men’s soccer, which took to the Garcelon Field turf at 7 a.m., the first time without masks in two years.

Head coach Tyler Sheikh was ready to put his team to the test, with a challenging conditioning session to start the morning off right.

“It’s time to kick their butts a little bit,” said Sheikh.

乐播传媒 men’s soccer was the first of four practices for fall sports on Wednesday, as the Bobcats get ready for what promises to be a fun .

We were on-hand to capture all the excitement of men’s soccer, field hockey, women’s soccer, and volleyball’s return to action.

Thirty years ago last Monday, Nov. 11, at halftime of what would be a lopsided loss for the 乐播传媒 football team, an announcement came over the Garcelon Field PA speakers: Over at Alumni Gym, the undefeated volleyball team was about to begin its championship match in the Eastern College Athletic Conference tournament.

“We never really had many fans,” recalls Laurie Plante Graumann ’90, a senior middle hitter on the 1989 team. But as word spread on campus after the halftime announcement, people flocked to Alumni in a scene ripped from a Hollywood screenplay.

“The gym was packed with people cheering for us!鈥� Plante Graumann says.

The 乐播传媒 fans that day saw history in the making. Led by fifth-year coach , the Bobcats were 35-0 and hosting St. John Fisher for the ECAC title, during an era when the regional championship was the furthest a NESCAC team could advance.

The Bobcats won the match 3-0 (15-11, 15-9, 15-9) and completed an unprecedented perfect season: 36-0.

On Nov. 11, 1989, co-captains Michele Feroah ’90 (right) and Cathy Meoni Ringling ’90 celebrate 乐播传媒’ victory in the ECAC championship match, capping a 36-0 season. (乐播传媒 Communications)

鈥淚 never guessed at the beginning of the year that this would happen,鈥� Graef said to . 鈥淲e had a tougher schedule this year and thought we might drop a match here and there, especially at the Ithaca and Eastern Connecticut tourneys. But this team is the best that I have ever coached.鈥�

And 30 years later, that year鈥檚 squad of 10 women still holds the best win-loss record in 乐播传媒 athletics history.

Graef came to 乐播传媒 in 1985 and started building the 乐播传媒 volleyball program into what the Student called 鈥渁 quiet dynasty in our midst.鈥� Jumping from a .500 record the year before to a 28-7 mark in 鈥�85, volleyball soon became the school鈥檚 winningest team.

Watch how fifth-year head coach Melissa DeRan and the current Bobcats are reconnecting with the alumni who established a tradition of success.

鈥淪he was the most positive, energetic coach I鈥檝e ever had,鈥� outside hitter Emily Gabler 鈥�87 says of Graef. One of the most admired coaches in the college鈥檚 history, Graef died in November 2015.

鈥淢arsha not only motivated us as a team, she also customized her coaching to each individual player. So she was immediately effective.鈥�

In an era when walk-on players could often make a big impact, Gabler played a key role in making the Bobcats the class of New England by 鈥渞ecruiting鈥� a powerhouse outside hitter, Rachel Clayton 鈥�90.

Clayton arrived on campus in 1986. Initially, she was focused on playing softball for Bobcat head coach Sherry Deschaine. She did that very well, . Her only volleyball experience was in high school in the ninth grade.

Nicole Bolduc Schmidt ’90 records a dig during the 1989 ECAC tournament. (Scott Pim ’93)

Gabler, meanwhile, was still on campus as an assistant coach on Graef鈥檚 volleyball staff. After seeing what Clayton did athletically on the softball diamond, there was no doubt in Gabler鈥檚 mind that the 5-foot-11 Clayton could succeed on the volleyball court.

鈥淓verything fell into place once Rachel joined the team.鈥�

Gabler 鈥渢aught me how to play volleyball,鈥� Clayton says. 鈥淒uring the summer of 鈥�87, we worked at one of the gyms in my hometown, and I learned how to play. It was very difficult.鈥�

The hard work paid off. Over the course of her career as an outside hitter, the 乐播传媒 volleyball program won 111 matches while only losing eight.

鈥淓verything fell into place once Rachel joined the team,鈥� Plante Graumann recalls. 鈥淥pponents were very afraid when she was hitting the ball. She brought so much power to our game and could put the ball away anywhere on the court.鈥�

With athleticism and power, Rachel Clayton ’90 became the college’s first volleyball All-American. (Scott Pim ’93)

鈥淟aurie keeps complimenting me but I don鈥檛 remember being that good,鈥� Clayton says. 鈥淚 could pick up sports fairly easily, but volleyball has such a specific skill set. I had to really work at it.鈥�

鈥淢ichele had ridiculous hands. Just a phenomenal player.鈥�

During the undefeated season, Clayton became the first All-American in the volleyball program鈥檚 history, tallying 346 kills.

Clayton was the team鈥檚 All-American, but across the board, the 鈥�89 team credits setter and co-captain Michele Feroah 鈥�90 for making the Bobcats a well-oiled machine.

鈥淢ichele had ridiculous hands, she could get to balls that no one else could, and she could back set on her knees,鈥� Clayton said. 鈥淛ust a phenomenal player.鈥�

Michele Feroah ’90 delivers one of her signature back sets to Laurie Plante Graumann ’90 (Scott Pim ’93)

鈥淭he ball could be coming hard at her and she could control it and set it so it would just hang in the air and you could just go get it,鈥� Plante Graumann said. 鈥淪he was a joy to play with.鈥�

Feroah鈥檚 success as a setter 鈥� she ranked fifth in the country in assists per game 鈥� was such that after the season she was featured in Sports Illustrated鈥檚 鈥淔aces in the Crowd.鈥�

Student beat reporter Peter Carr 鈥�91 had a court-side seat for every home match.

鈥淢ichele could set a ball from anywhere on the court,鈥� Carr said. 鈥淣o disrespect to Rachel, but she owes a lot of credit for her season to Michele. Michele made that team run.鈥�

Michele Feroah ’90 was featured in the Jan. 22, 1990, edition of Sports Illustrated‘s “Faces in the Crowd.”

Carr worked diligently to get the word out about the volleyball team鈥檚 success via The 乐播传媒 Student and the 乐播传媒 sports information office.

But at first, the only people with him at the matches were paid to be there.

鈥淚 remember early in the season there was no one at the matches besides my roommates who called lines,鈥� Carr said. 鈥淚 became very close with the players, so when the rest of the campus started to get excited about the team and what they were doing, that was great and well-deserved.鈥�

Julie Roche Simplicio ’91 spikes the ball while All-American Rachel Clayton ’90 (No. 16) looks on. (Scott Pim ’93)

As the 1989 season rolled along, 乐播传媒 racked up wins at tournaments throughout the Northeast.聽

The players embraced a trip to upstate New York in October, where 乐播传媒 was actually an underdog.聽

鈥淲hat stands out for me is the Ithaca College tournament when we went up against Cortland State,鈥� middle hitter Julie Roche Simplicio 鈥�91 said. 鈥淭hey were a powerhouse in the New York system and we were this small liberal arts school in Maine.

鈥淲e traveled 10 hours in a van and, sure enough, we took the win. That was the pivotal point in the season.鈥澛�

The win over No. 10 nationally ranked Cortland State propelled 乐播传媒 into the national rankings themselves. An undefeated season became a possibility.

Rosters, game programs, and statistics from the 1989 volleyball season.

1989 ECAC Championships program

1989 ECAC Championships bracket

1989 乐播传媒 volleyball statistics

1989 乐播传媒 volleyball roster

鈥淚 don鈥檛 remember any nerves at all,鈥� Clayton said. 鈥淚t never hit us during the season that going undefeated was a thing.鈥澛�

The possibility then became reality, though for Clayton it seems like a dream.

鈥淪ometimes I think to myself, 鈥�36-0? Did we really do that?鈥欌��

From 1988 to 1990, the 乐播传媒 volleyball team won 51 consecutive matches. But NESCAC rules prevented 乐播传媒 from competing in the NCAA Championships.

鈥淲e were all really disappointed that teams we beat were going to nationals and we couldn鈥檛,鈥� Plante Graumann says. 鈥淢y dad talked to Marsha about that, and she said to him, 鈥楳r. Plante, you sent your daughter to 乐播传媒 to get an education, and that is the No. 1 priority. And that is why we end after ECACs.鈥�

鈥淎nd he said: 鈥楢ll right, fair enough.鈥欌��

Marsha Graef, seen in 2006, amassed 416 wins in her 14 years as head volleyball coach. (Phyllis Graber Jensen/乐播传媒 College).

Washington University won the national title in 1989 with a record of 39-6. 乐播传媒 finished its undefeated campaign ranked 10th in the country. Only two women鈥檚 volleyball teams that have won an NCAA Division III championship have also recorded undefeated seasons.聽

In 1993, the NESCAC dropped its NCAA ban and 乐播传媒 promptly went 41-9, advancing to the regional semifinals.聽

鈥淚t would have been great to see how far we could have advanced with the talent we had in 1989,鈥� Roche Simplicio says. 鈥淲e had so many great players, and as we grew together as friends off the court, that translated onto the court. We had each other鈥檚 backs.鈥�

Graef led the volleyball program for 14 seasons and the women鈥檚 basketball team for seven. Her players felt comfortable talking to her and, after the team鈥檚 1989 ECAC win, Graef showed she knew how to have fun as well.聽

In 2009, members of the undefeated 1989 volleyball team and their coach, Marsha Graef (right), enjoyed a recognition ceremony in Alumni Gym during Homecoming Weekend. From left, Rachel Clayton 鈥�90, Cathy Meoni Ringling 鈥�90, Laurie Plante Graumann 鈥�90, Julie Roche Simplicio 鈥�91, Cindy Simonides Farina 鈥�93, Allyson Reynolds Wachtel 鈥�93, and Graef. (Phyllis Graber Jensen/乐播传媒 College)

鈥淲e had a keg,鈥� Plante Graumann recalls. 鈥淎nd Coach did a keg stand! Seeing Coach do that was just crazy. But she was happy right along with us, she was as much a part of that season, if not more, than we were.鈥澛�

In 1998, Graef moved from coaching to athletics administration as coordinator of physical education and club sports. Appropriately enough, her final season at the helm of the volleyball team netted yet another ECAC North championship. She retired in 2013, and died at age 61 after a three-year battle with pancreatic cancer.

Even while battling cancer, Graef still went above and beyond for her former players.聽

鈥淚 remember when I was inducted into the in 2015, she was in the middle of one of her chemo sessions,鈥� Clayton says. 鈥淎nd she came up [to 乐播传媒] from wherever she was and presented the award to me.

鈥淪he was an amazing woman.鈥澛�

The 1989 team poses with their ECAC championship trophy, held by co-captains Michele Feroah ’90 (left) and Cathy Meoni Ringling ’90. From left, head coach Marsha Graef, Cindy Simonides Farina ’93, Jennifer White Campbell ’91, Laurie Plante Graumann ’90, Rachel Clayton ’90, Julie Roche Simplicio ’91, Andrea Corradini ’92, Allyson Reynolds Wachtel ’93, Nicole Bolduc Schmidt ’90.

Hoping to erase steak-sauce stains from a seersucker suit, we headed over to Alumni Gymnasium, where we鈥檇 heard there was bleach work going on.

Turns out that we heard wrong (again!). It was bleacher work 鈥� the removal, in fact, of the hard-pine bleachers that have put generations of Bobcat boosters鈥� bottoms good and close to the basketball and volleyball action. So close, in fact, that the gym has gained a certain reputation as an intimidating venue for Bobcat opponents.

A section of Alumni Gym bleachers on March 30, 2018, a few days before their removal. In the foreground is the “split B” athletics emblem. (Theophil Syslo/乐播传媒 College)

We stopped in on Monday, April 2, as Jim Libbey and his two-man crew were just finding their rhythm in the repetitious work of unbolting the bleachers’ planks, metal supporting frames, and other hardware, and toting it all out back.

And the shiny maple floor will be next to go, scheduled for removal starting April 18.

We wondered about the age of the bleachers. Libbey’s team didn’t have a figure at hand, but Ben Bedell did point out that they were encountering many square nuts, which were commonly used until the mid-20th century. They were supplanted by the hexagonal nuts prevalent now, which enable more frequent and therefore easier turns with the wrench.

(Later research suggested that most of the bleachers were installed as replacements in 1956 鈥� although one section, dark with age, or steak sauce, may have been original to the 1926 gym.)

Nick Dye of J.M. Libbey & Sons carries a pine board away from the Alumni Gym bleachers on April 2, 2018. (Doug Hubley/乐播传媒 College)

Be that as it may, nostalgia didn’t slow anyone down and the bleachers were gone before the end of the week. With replacement bleachers and floor expected to be in place by mid-June, it’s all part of a renovation project that will leave the 92-year-old gym ready for plenty more Bobcat excitement.

The condition of the floor was the prime mover for the project, says project manager Shelby Burgau, who joined Facility Services鈥� Capital Planning and Construction group last September. Over the course of periodic refinishing jobs, the maple had been sanded down nearly to the point of exposing the tongue-and-groove joints holding the planks together.

鈥淲e really couldn鈥檛 get away with sanding it down again,鈥� Burgau says.

Ben Bedell, Jim Libbey, and Nick Dye of J.M. Libbey & Sons are shown taking the Alumni Gym bleachers apart on April 2, 2018. (Doug Hubley/乐播传媒 College)

Replacing the floor, adds Director of Athletics Jason Fein, gives 乐播传媒 not only a brand-new, state-of-the-art playing surface, but a showcase for current branding. Notably, the urbane Bobcat mascot image introduced in 2013 will take pride of place at center court, now occupied by the so-called split B. Logos for the NCAA and NESCAC will be also be added to the layout.

鈥淚t will look a lot better at the end of the day,鈥� Burgau says. The new floor will again be maple, and New England Sports Floors of Lowell, Mass., is the subcontractor.

Of course, before anything could be done with the floor, the bleachers had to go away. Like the old set, the new ones will be retractable to embiggen the floor space between games 鈥� but henceforth motors will do that work, instead of muscles.

鈥淭he current bleachers are not only old, but it鈥檚 pretty labor-intensive to pull them in and out,鈥� Burgau says. Hussey Seating Company of North Berwick, Maine, is fabricating the bleachers, and Robert H. Lord Co. of Manchester, Conn., is the subcontractor supervising the installation to be executed by J.M. Libbey and Sons.

Taking advantage of all the newly unobstructed space, a spate of mechanical and electrical work is being sandwiched between bleacher demolition last week and floor removal next week. Damon Mechanical Services of Auburn, a familiar name in these updates, is relocating heating-system pipes along the walls where the bleachers used to be.

Another local subcontractor, Mountain View Electric of Sabattus, is running new power lines for the bleacher motors and the new scorer鈥檚 table. That latter feature, Fein points, out, will sport a digital LED signboard across the front 鈥渁llowing us to program it with customized messages, and bringing us in line with other current facilities.鈥�

(But like the cloth 乐播传媒 banner draped on the old scorer’s table, the LED panel will continue to perform the vital function of concealing the scorers鈥� lower extremities, so they can still take off their shoes, wiggle their toes, and roll their trouser cuffs up and down during long games.)

Aside from a few stacks of planks sitting around, the Alumni Gym bleachers were history by April 5. (Doug Hubley/乐播传媒 College)

According to the schedule, the floor work should take about a month, wrapping up the week of May 14, says Burgau. 鈥淎fter the floor is complete, we鈥檒l take a little pause for graduation, in case the gym needs to be used as a rain backup鈥� 鈥� in which case it serves as a robing and assembly area for the faculty and graduates, with the actual ceremony across the street in Merrill Gym.

And then, hard on the heels of Commencement, bleacher installation should begin the week of May 29. Burgau adds that, to expand the gym鈥檚 capacity, the Alumni Gym stage will sport permanent bleachers for the first time. Those too will feature power retraction.

鈥淭hen we have just the final wrap-up, installing equipment like the scorer鈥檚 table,鈥� she says. 鈥淐ome June 18, the gym will be turned back over to the coaches鈥� for summer camps, and to the 乐播传媒 Dance Festival for rehearsals.

Can we talk? Campus Construction Update welcomes your questions and comments about current, past, and future construction at 乐播传媒. Write to dhubley@bates.edu, putting 鈥淐ampus Construction鈥� or “Is anyone still wearing seersucker?” in the subject line.

The design of the forthcoming Alumni Gym floor. (New England Sports Floors)

For a first-year Bobcat, there鈥檚 no better place to start your sports career than Alumni Gym. For 乐播传媒鈥� first-year volleyball players, that was Tuesday evening vs. the University of Southern Maine in the college鈥檚 first home聽contest of the year.

鈥淎lumni is such a magical place for us,鈥� says head coach Melissa DeRan.

鈥淚t鈥檚 always nice to be at home on our own court and in our own locker room, especially for our first-years. It鈥檚 special when you get to put on your collegiate jersey in front of your peers for the first time.鈥�

They know Bobcat greatness when they see it. From left, Delaney Mayfield '21, Olivia McCulloch '21, and Jordan Camarillo '20 bow to their teammates. (Theophil Syslo/乐播传媒 College)

Head coach Melissa DeRan likes what she sees as 乐播传媒 defeats the University of Southern Maine. (Theophil Syslo/乐播传媒 College)

Angel Echipue '21 (16) and Taylor Stafford-Smith '20 (9) go up for a block. (Theophil Syslo/乐播传媒 College)

Angel Echipue '21 of Munich, Germany, says she liked the "intensity" of Alumni Gym. (Theophil Syslo/乐播传媒 College)

Jacqueline Forney '18 (15), Taylor Stafford-Smith '20 (9), Angel Echipue '21 (16), and Claire Naughton '19 (8) react after a point. (Theophil Syslo/乐播传媒 College)

乐播传媒 made a comeback after losing the first set, winning 3-1.

鈥淏eing the first college home game, it was a different experience,鈥� says Angel Echipue 鈥�21 of Munich, Germany. 鈥淚t was really fun, very exciting. Being in Alumni was a different playing environment聽鈥� a lot more intensity.”

Echipue, who spent part of her high school career in the U.S., says sports here “are so much more celebrated than in Germany.” Moving from high school to 乐播传媒, she sees “a lot more commitment with a college team. That鈥檚 why I love it.”

Ruby Lightbourn 鈥�21 of Los Angeles agrees. “I love playing in Alumni Gym. It has a good energy and more of an environment 鈥� and more people in the stands.”

鈥淚t was good to see us all come together in the last couple games and to get a win at home,” says Delaney Mayfield 鈥�21 of Santa Barbara, Calif. “It felt really comfortable and like our home.鈥�

乐播传媒 volleyball will look for another win on .

As the volleyball team’s setter, Jacqueline Forney ’18 of Bloomington, Ind., controls the flow of the offense, like a point guard in basketball.

A team captain since sophomore year, Forney can’t be rattled, says head coach Melissa DeRan.

“She understands that a volleyball match is a lot of points and that short-term memory loss is your best asset,” DeRan says. “She doesn鈥檛 get wrapped up in what happened two seconds ago, she鈥檚 always looking ahead, always looking forward and ready for the next play.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J6ulgAKMq-Y

An ability to focus on the here and now combined with a vision for the program’s future makes Forney a special athlete.

“Five, 10 years down the road, when we鈥檙e at the top of the NESCAC 鈥� that鈥檚 what I鈥檓 looking forward to,” says Forney. “And being able to come back and know that you were a part of creating this program.鈥�

乐播传媒 takes on in a quarterfinal game in the NESCAC Championships. And Forney has them set up for success.

Tess Dokus '10

Tess Dokus (Salem, Conn.) was a big reason for the 乐播传媒 volleyball team’s improved fortunes in the 2008 season. The junior outside hitter jumped from an average of 1.90 kills per set with a .119 hitting percentage in 2007 to a team-best 2.25 kills and a .236 percentage in 2008.

The Bobcats’, and Dokus’s, improvement this year was underscored as the team qualified for the NESCAC Championship for the first time since 2004 this year. 乐播传媒 traveled to top-seeded Tufts for the conference quarterfinals on Friday evening, and Dokus again impressed, notching a match-high 12 kills against just one attack error for a sparkling .550 hitting percentage. She also came up with three blocks as the Bobcats gave the Jumbos (who raised their record to 28-2 with their win) a competitive match, losing in four sets by scores of 25-12, 12-25, 25-16, 25-22. 乐播传媒 finished the year with a 15-18 record, their best mark since 2004.

Beth Billington '09

Beth Billington is the only senior on the 2008 乐播传媒 volleyball team, and the middle blocker from St. Paul, Minn., came up big for the Bobcats in a 4-1 week that pulled the team’s record to an even .500 at 9-9.

Billington led 乐播传媒 in attack percentage, at .356, averaging a team second-best 2.32 kills per set. She also led the team in blocking at 0.89 blocks per set (17 overall).

Billington played in her final home match Wednesday night against Bowdoin; she and the Bobcats travel to Eastern Connecticut State University this Friday and Saturday for the Crabtree Invitational round robin tournament.