CMC75 Moments: 1985 Volleyball Uses 20-Win Improvement to Qualify for Postseason

As part of the buildup to the 75th Anniversary celebration for Claremont McKenna College (visit CMC's 75th Anniversary Countdown Page to learn more), we are reliving many of the great moments from CMS athletic department history over the 75-day countdown from April 17 to July 1. If you were a part of this great moment and would like to add to the memories, or if you would like to submit your memories of your own favorite CMS Athletics moment, fill out the form on our main 75th Anniversary page.

Great Moments from 75 Years of Athletics
1985 Volleyball Has Breakthrough Season, Earns NCAA Bid

CMS Volleyball is known now as a national power, with perennial top-10 rankings and a 2017 national championship to its credit, but the first hint of the program's potential came with a big turnaround in the 1985 campaign. After a 4-17 season in 1984, the Athenas put everything together in 1985, improving their win total by 20 to come away with a 24-10 final record and capturing the first NCAA Tournament bid in program history, while also reaching as high as a No. 10 ranking in the nation during the regular season.

CMS just missed on the SCIAC title with a second-place finish with an 8-2 league mark, behind only undefeated La Verne (the league's dominant program at the time, which had won national titles in 1981 and 1982), marking the first time that the Athenas had a winning league record. Another SCIAC runner-up finish followed in 1986 before CMS was able to finally capture a share of the crown in 1992 (and then an outright title in 1993, when the Athenas reached the NCAA Quarterfinals), but the 1985 team served notice that the Athenas would be a perennial contender in the future, while making history with the program's debut NCAA Tournament appearance.

Senior outside hitter Cathy Townsend earned her way onto the All-SCIAC first team, while sophomore outside hitter Julia Hodgkins and freshman setter Bianca Solis were named to the second team. Laurie Simonson (first team) and Michelle Serikaku (second team) would earn All-SCIAC distinction as seniors the following year, and Hodgkins would earn first-team distinction as a senior in 1987.  

Julia Hodgkins-Bruening:

That was the first time that we ever made it to the NCAAs which was pretty cool. Unfortunately, I got injured in the first set of the game against La Verne in the NCAA Tournament at UCSD, but continued to play.

We were very close on and off the court. We had really strong team chemistry and we had fun. It was just fun playing, and the joy of playing contributed to the success. I loved that team, I really loved that team.

1985 Volleyball Roster
Head Coach: Pam Fontenette
Assistant Coach: Sindy Young
Liz Gill (Fr., Setter, Scripps)
Laura Gilmore (Fr., OH, CMC)
Julia Hodgkins (So., OH, Scripps)
Kris Lesher (Fr., DS, Scripps)
Paula Littlewood (Sr., DS, CMC)
Michelle Serikaku (Jr., S/OH, Scripps)
Laurie Simonson (Jr., OH, CMC)
Bianca Solis (Fr., S/OH, CMC)
Cathy Townsend (Sr., OH, Scripps)