One play stands out in former head coach Miya Malauulu’s memory that defined the 2004 season.
By: Tom Schulz
When the Bobcat volleyball coaches approached me to do a top 20 countdown of the all-time greatest players during my era with the program, I instantly hesitated. The reason: I didn't want to step on any toes because Montana State has had a plethora of talented athletes since my first year in 1988, which was also the first season women competed under the Big Sky Conference umbrella.
I knew if I had to list players from 1-20 my Facebook message box would light-up with former athletes putting in their two cents. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy corresponding with former players and the group I usually hear from holds a special place in my heart. They were good, funny, and full of shenanigans.
So, as I thought about the list, the idea to do a top 10 favorite teams list suddenly became much more palatable. Over the course of the next ten weeks, while we all look for things to do with our Thursday and Saturday nights without volleyball in Shroyer Gym, I will revisit ten teams which during my 32 years covering the Cats standout in the back of my cobwebbed mind. Again, these are not necessarily the best teams, but the teams that have had an impact on Bobcat Athletics, Montana State University, and my career as Sports Information Director.
I would also be remiss if I didn't mention that before the Bobcats started play in the Big Sky Conference, there were some amazing teams in the '70s and early '80s led by some of the best coaches in the country. Names like Terrall, Moe, McKinzie, Williams-McMullan, Wagner, McCanlies, Ditchfield, Kinney, Usitalo, Koughan, Ryan, Cruz, Griffith and Dirks set the foundation for what Bobcat volleyball is today, and they will always be remembered in the annals of Bobcat history.
No. 6
The 2004 Bobcats
One play stands out in former head coach Miya Malauulu's memory that defined the 2004 season.
Seated (l to r): Kim Stonehouse, Kamber Kelly, Kandice Kelly, Meggie Malyurek
Middle Row: Angela Wiebe, Carly Johnson, Megan Zanto, Raelene Purnell, LeAnn Kinvig
Back Row: Britni Sesler, Samantha Krier, Patti Anderson, Laura Viren, Ashley Blevins
Playing in front of 4,159 fans in Worthington Arena, the Kelly sisters, Kamber and Kandice, tracked a ball down. Kandice saved the ball from going out long, crashing into the end pads, while Kamber followed to send the ball back over the net.
MSU got the point. And in doing so, helped the Bobcats to a 30-24, 30-25, 30-18 victory over Montana, completing the season sweep of the Grizzlies.
"It was a crazy hustle play," said Malauulu, who is now Miya Usumali'i, and who serves as Vice President of Operations for Student Sports. "The whole place exploded. At the time, it was probably the third largest crowd to witness a volleyball match in the state. And here, two girls from Roundup, Montana had the place on their feet and loving the game.
"That play was an example of how competitive that team was," Usumali'i added.
Kamber Kelly and Sexsmith, Alberta, Canada product LeAnn Kinvig guided the Bobcats as senior leaders.
Kelly, a setter, and the most complete player in the Big Sky in 2004, set the tone for the Bobcats. A three-time all-Big Sky pick, she averaged 11.25 assists, 3.54 digs, 1.49 kills and .78 blocks per set, guiding the Bobcats to a 19-8 overall mark and a 10-4 Big Sky ledger. In Shroyer Gym, MSU notched a 10-1 record.
"I just loved her competitive nature," Usumali'i commented. "She's the most competitive athlete I've ever met, and in my current position I come across hundreds of athletes, and she was far and away the most driven."
Playing opposite was Kinvig- MSU's steady Betty. "She was like a silent assassin," Usumali'i chuckled. "LeAnn came up with the point when we needed it the most and when she was performing well, we were hard to stop."
Usumali'i also had the luxury of possessing one of the best middle blockers in Big Sky history – Helena Capital product Megan Zanto. A First-Team All-Big Sky pick in 2004, Zanto hit a solid .307, while averaging 3.32 kills and 1.39 blocks per set. She still holds the all-time Bobcat record for block assists (511) and total blocks (592).
"At 6-3, Megan moved amazingly well for being that tall," Usumali'i said. "She was a presence at the net and absolutely dominated some of our matches. Megan was also one of the nicest kids you'll ever meet and was so coachable."
Montana State's outside hitters also complemented each other well, and executed at a high level, match-in and match-out. Kim Stonehouse was a high-flying sophomore from Medicine Hat, Alberta, while Meggie Malyurek, a product of Big Horn, Wyo., provided a calming and consistent demeanor.
"Obviously, Kim's jumping ability and ability to get off the floor was out of this world," Usumali'i said. "She was instant offense.
"What I really appreciated and what stood out with Meggie was how hard she worked on her all-around game," Usumali'i added. "She worked so hard improving her ball-handling skills and the 2004 season was a break-out year for her."
Stonehouse led the Bobcats averaging 3.39 kills per set, while Malyurek chipped in 3.05 kills and 3.24 digs per contest.
Rounding out the Bobcat rotation were middle blocker Angela Wiebe (1.80 kps/1.01 bps) and Kandice Kelly- serving as MSU's first-ever libero. Kelly finished the season with 438 digs which still ranks eighth on MSU's single-season chart.
The 2004 squad's 19 victories capped a 10-year run of winning seasons within the program. The wins were even more sweet as the Cats rode the backs of a roster made up mostly of Montana, Wyoming, and Canadian kids.
"You know, people brought that up a lot," Usumali'i stated. "But it wasn't like we turned water into wine. These kids were already outstanding athletes. They weren't diamonds in the rough. They were already diamonds that decided MSU was the place to be. And kudos to Jerry (Wagner, former assistant coach) for identifying them and doing the homework to get them to come to Bozeman."
The Bobcats had high hopes for the postseason and making noise in the Big Sky Tournament in 2004. Afterall, they had split with Eastern Washington and Sacramento State during the regular season. Along with Montana State, EWU and Sac State stood out above the rest of the league. The Big Sky's three-headed monster would go toe-to-toe with each other and heated rivalries ensued.
The Bobcats cruised past Northern Arizona as the No. 3 seed in quarterfinal play, which set up a match with No. 2 seed Sacramento State. The Hornets jumped to a 1-0 lead with a 30-16 opening set win. The second set went into overtime, as a missed call didn't go in the favor of the Bobcats, which would've won the set. Instead, the Hornets captured the second set 33-31, eventually winning the match. Sacramento State would defeat EWU in Cheney the next evening to advance to the NCAA tournament.
"I still believe those were the glory years of the Big Sky," Usumali'i said. "The league was full of great coaches, each bringing their own identity. Eastern Washington was swaggy and aggressive, while Sac was the steady professional outfit rooted in history under a legendary coach, Debby Colberg.
"I was only in my second season and I loved competing against all the teams in the conference," she said. "There were no easy weekends. It was good, competitive volleyball."
But for Usumali'i and aside from the on-court accolades, the preseason tournaments at Alabama (the Cats did attend a Bama football game) and No. 25 Ohio State, and postseason play, what she remembers most is how the 2004 team gelled as a unit and the support of the Bozeman community.
"I remember how much fun they had with each other," Usumali'i commented. "Both on and off the court everyone was having fun.
"And the support of the community is something most programs don't see," she added. "I came from So. Cal and was used to USC, UCLA and Santa Barbara. They would barely get 500 people to a match. But at Montana State, it was something special and the community really backed Bobcat Athletics. Our kids got to play in a Rockstar environment."
Sideouts: Miya Malauulu married former Arizona football player Tevete Usumali'i. The couple was married by former USC football standout Titus Tuiasosopo, who is also the late father of current Bobcat all-conference performer Taylor Tuiasosopo…Meggie Malyurek married former MSU all-conference thrower Blake Jackson…Kandice Kelly is married to former Montana State Defensive Coordinator Ty Gregorak. The couple have two children and live in Bozeman…a freshman in 2004 Patti Anderson (Deer Lodge) married former men's basketball star Danny Faaborg and the family currently resides in Billings…the 2004 season saw the end of three straight years of the Cat-Griz match played in Worthington Arena…the three years are perhaps the biggest volleyball events ever attended in the Treasure State as the 2002 season saw 6,378 fans; 2003, 4,741 fans and 2004 4,159 fans…the 2004 team had three players go on to join MSU's prestigious 1,000 kill club – Malyurek, 5th, 1,136; Stonehouse, 7th, 1,136; and Zanto, 8th, 1,128…Kamber Kelly finished her career second on MSU's all-time assists chart with 3,751, which still holds today…Kandice Kelly is second on MSU's all-time digs chart with 1,720 saves…Zanto finished her career first in total blocks (592), first in block assists (511) and fifth in solo blocks (81)…Angela Wiebe finished her career fourth in total blocks (416) and fourth in block assists (394)…MSU swept Montana in 2004…The 2004 Holiday Inn Classic field included Dartmouth, Buffalo, Portland and Boise State.
Head Coach: Miya Malauulu; Associate Head Coach: Jerry Wagner; Assistant Coach: Lisa Mimick
Where Are They Now:
1 – Ashley Blevens - ?
2 – LeAnn Kinvig Snyder – Calgary, Alberta
3 – Kamber Kelly – Billings, Mont.
4 – Britni Sesler Wiggins - ?
5 – Meggie Malyurek Jackson – Casper, Wyo.
6 – Raelene Purnell Gatewood - California
7 – Samantha Krier Tenneson – The Dalles, Ore.
8 – Anglea Wiebe Diboll – Winnipeg, Manitoba
9 – Megan Zanto Handl – Helena, Mont.
10 – Laura Viren – Bozeman, Mont.
11 – Kim Stonehouse – Medicine Hat, Alberta
12 – Carly Johnson Dunlop - ?
14 – Kandice Kelly Gregorak – Bozeman, Mont.
16 – Patti Anderson Faaborg – Billings, Mont.
Head Coach: Miya Malauulu Usumali'i – Carson, Calif.
Associate Head Coach: Jerry Wagner – Havre, Mont.
Assistant Coach: Lisa Mimick Lechtenberg – El Dorado, Kan.
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If any former alum would like to reconnect with Bobcat Volleyball or update their current whereabouts, please email Tom Schulz, Sports Information, with your contact information – tschulz@msubobcats.com We would love to hear from you!
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