Hall of Fame
Karen Weyler Massey
- Induction:
- 2010
- Class:
- 1997
Karen (Weyler) Massey is a daughter of an All American boxer and a ranch kid from Billings who loved to play basketball.
However, a strong summer of club ball before her final year at Billings Senior and a run-in with her sister- literally- changed her mind and volleyball became her top choice.
“My younger sister Linda played basketball at Montana, and one day I ran into her in practice,” Massey recalled in an interview a few years ago. “I bounced off of her like I’d hit a wall. Right then, I decided it was better to hit the floor.”
That decision paid big dividends to a Bobcat volleyball program that was floundering at the bottom of the Big Sky Conference standings.
After redshirting her first year, she became MSU’s first ever Big Sky Conference Freshman of the Year. She went on to be an honorable mention choice as a sophomore, a second-team pick as a junior, and a first-team honoree as a senior.
In addition, MSU went from seven wins in 1994 to 19 victories in 1997, and her ability to spike a ball or terminate a block became legendary.
During her senior year, the Bobcats played at Syracuse and an opposing player started talking trash to Weyler across the net. She expressed her quandary during the next time out and head coach Dave Gantt drew up a play that resulted in a Syracuse athlete getting ‘six-packed’ by Weyler.
MSU went on to defeat the Big East power, and the Bobcats, as well as Weyler, walked out of the arena with new found respect.
“Karen was instrumental in getting the volleyball program headed in the right direction,” said Dave Gantt, who coached her all four years. “During her career, we finally broke a ten-year drought of no winning seasons and in 1996 made the program’s first ever trip to the Big Sky Conference Tournament.
“Her single-season and career records cemented her place as one of the program’s elite,” Gantt continued. “I am very proud to have worked with Karen during that journey.”
Weyler still holds four records at Montana State, including hitting percentage and three blocking bests. During her senior season, she ranked as high as third in the nation hitting over .400 from the field.
She currently resides in the Chicago area with her husband Darren and two children.
However, a strong summer of club ball before her final year at Billings Senior and a run-in with her sister- literally- changed her mind and volleyball became her top choice.
“My younger sister Linda played basketball at Montana, and one day I ran into her in practice,” Massey recalled in an interview a few years ago. “I bounced off of her like I’d hit a wall. Right then, I decided it was better to hit the floor.”
That decision paid big dividends to a Bobcat volleyball program that was floundering at the bottom of the Big Sky Conference standings.
After redshirting her first year, she became MSU’s first ever Big Sky Conference Freshman of the Year. She went on to be an honorable mention choice as a sophomore, a second-team pick as a junior, and a first-team honoree as a senior.
In addition, MSU went from seven wins in 1994 to 19 victories in 1997, and her ability to spike a ball or terminate a block became legendary.
During her senior year, the Bobcats played at Syracuse and an opposing player started talking trash to Weyler across the net. She expressed her quandary during the next time out and head coach Dave Gantt drew up a play that resulted in a Syracuse athlete getting ‘six-packed’ by Weyler.
MSU went on to defeat the Big East power, and the Bobcats, as well as Weyler, walked out of the arena with new found respect.
“Karen was instrumental in getting the volleyball program headed in the right direction,” said Dave Gantt, who coached her all four years. “During her career, we finally broke a ten-year drought of no winning seasons and in 1996 made the program’s first ever trip to the Big Sky Conference Tournament.
“Her single-season and career records cemented her place as one of the program’s elite,” Gantt continued. “I am very proud to have worked with Karen during that journey.”
Weyler still holds four records at Montana State, including hitting percentage and three blocking bests. During her senior season, she ranked as high as third in the nation hitting over .400 from the field.
She currently resides in the Chicago area with her husband Darren and two children.
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