Minnesota Monarchs
Encyclopedia
The Minnesota Monarchs were one of six Major League Volleyball
franchises. The league began in 1987 and ended short of completing a full season in 1989.
The Minnesota franchise was reported to be the strongest in terms of attendance, repeatedly filling the stands time after time. The Monarchs played at Augsburg College, Minneapolis during the regular season and at the historical Williams Arena at the campus of the University of Minnesota during playoff matches.
The Monarchs set a league attendance record of 3,404 in the Minnesota-San Jose semifinal match in 1988 at Williams Arena.
Unfortunately the team was lackluster in 1987 coming in last place. However, some trading and new talent (such as Ruth Lawanson
and Linda Chisolm) joined the next season and the team improved. The team finished in second place in 1988 and was leading the league in matches won before the league ended in 1989.
Ownership of the franchise switched hands prior to the 1989 season. For the first two years of operation, the league itself owned its six franchises. R. Steven Arnold, founder of the league and league commissioner for the 1987 and 1988 seasons became team President. Lee Meade Sr., General Manager for the Monarchs during the 1987 season, returned as GM for the 1989 season. David L. Mona, CEO of a Twin Cities based public relations firm, became Vice President of the team.
MB=Middle Blocker, OH=Outside Hitter, S=Setter
Angie DeGroot: S
Jill Halstead: OH
Lucia Chudy: MB
McDougal: MB
Jerry McGahan (Volleyball Hall of Fame member): Right Side
Annie Adamczak: OH, college-Nebraska, hometown-Moose Lake, Mn.
Head Coach: Jim Coleman
1988 (16 wins-6 losses)
PLAYER HT. POS. COLLEGE HOMETOWN
Judy Bellomo, 5-10, MB, UC Santa Barbara, Glendale, Ca
Merja Connolly, 6-0, MB, UCLA, Culver City, Ca.
Kathy Crotty-Rodgers, 5-9, OH/S, SW Missouri, Belleville, Ill.
Ellen Hensler, 5-8, S, Penn State, North Huntington, Pa.
Ruth Lawanson, 5-8, OH, Fresno St., Fresno, Ca. - 1988 League MVP
Head Coach: Walt Weaver
Ass't Coach: Jeff Nelson
1989
No. PLAYER HT. POS. COLLEGE HOMETOWN
1 Diane Ratnik
, 6-1, S/MB, Canadian National, Scarborough, Ont.
6 Sari Virtanen-Stevens, 6-0, OH/MB, BYU, Provo, UT
7 Ruth Lawanson
, 5-8, OH, Fresno St., Fresno, Ca.
8 Jill Halstead, 5-9, OH, Minnesota, Brooklyn Park, MN
10 Jackie Silva
, 5-7, S, Brazil National, Rio de Janerio, Brazil
11 Judy Bellomo, 5-10, OH/MB, UC Santa Barbara, Glendale, CA
12 Ellen Crandall-Orner, 6-0, OH/MB, Penn State, Rockton, Pa.
13 Janet Cobbs, 6-0, MB, North Dakota St., St. Paul, Mn.
14 Lori Zeno, 5-9, OH/S, UCLA, Fountain Valley, Ca.
Head Coach: Jeff Nelson
Ass't Coach: Steve Willingham
Major League Volleyball
Major League Volleyball was a women's professional volleyball league in the United States. It was established in 1987 and disbanded during its third season on March 20, 1989. The content, records, and player information were obtained from my collection of VCR recordings of the original ESPN...
franchises. The league began in 1987 and ended short of completing a full season in 1989.
The Minnesota franchise was reported to be the strongest in terms of attendance, repeatedly filling the stands time after time. The Monarchs played at Augsburg College, Minneapolis during the regular season and at the historical Williams Arena at the campus of the University of Minnesota during playoff matches.
The Monarchs set a league attendance record of 3,404 in the Minnesota-San Jose semifinal match in 1988 at Williams Arena.
Unfortunately the team was lackluster in 1987 coming in last place. However, some trading and new talent (such as Ruth Lawanson
Ruth Lawanson
Ruth Lawanson is a retired female volleyball player from the United States, who won the bronze medal with the USA National Women's Team at the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona, Spain....
and Linda Chisolm) joined the next season and the team improved. The team finished in second place in 1988 and was leading the league in matches won before the league ended in 1989.
Ownership of the franchise switched hands prior to the 1989 season. For the first two years of operation, the league itself owned its six franchises. R. Steven Arnold, founder of the league and league commissioner for the 1987 and 1988 seasons became team President. Lee Meade Sr., General Manager for the Monarchs during the 1987 season, returned as GM for the 1989 season. David L. Mona, CEO of a Twin Cities based public relations firm, became Vice President of the team.
Players
1987MB=Middle Blocker, OH=Outside Hitter, S=Setter
Angie DeGroot: S
Jill Halstead: OH
Lucia Chudy: MB
McDougal: MB
Jerry McGahan (Volleyball Hall of Fame member): Right Side
Annie Adamczak: OH, college-Nebraska, hometown-Moose Lake, Mn.
Head Coach: Jim Coleman
1988 (16 wins-6 losses)
PLAYER HT. POS. COLLEGE HOMETOWN
Judy Bellomo, 5-10, MB, UC Santa Barbara, Glendale, Ca
Merja Connolly, 6-0, MB, UCLA, Culver City, Ca.
Kathy Crotty-Rodgers, 5-9, OH/S, SW Missouri, Belleville, Ill.
Ellen Hensler, 5-8, S, Penn State, North Huntington, Pa.
Ruth Lawanson, 5-8, OH, Fresno St., Fresno, Ca. - 1988 League MVP
Head Coach: Walt Weaver
Ass't Coach: Jeff Nelson
1989
No. PLAYER HT. POS. COLLEGE HOMETOWN
1 Diane Ratnik
Diane Ratnik
Diane Ratnik-Cooper is a retired female volleyball player from Canada, who competed for her native country in two Summer Olympics: 1984 and 1996. A resident of Scarborough, Ontario, she finished in 8th and 10th place with the Women's National Team.Ratnik-Cooper is currently living in Uxbridge,...
, 6-1, S/MB, Canadian National, Scarborough, Ont.
6 Sari Virtanen-Stevens, 6-0, OH/MB, BYU, Provo, UT
7 Ruth Lawanson
Ruth Lawanson
Ruth Lawanson is a retired female volleyball player from the United States, who won the bronze medal with the USA National Women's Team at the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona, Spain....
, 5-8, OH, Fresno St., Fresno, Ca.
8 Jill Halstead, 5-9, OH, Minnesota, Brooklyn Park, MN
10 Jackie Silva
Jackie Silva
Jacqueline Louise Cruz Silva is a retired volleyball player from Brazil, who won the gold medal in the inaugural women's beach volleyball tournament at the 1996 Summer Olympics, partnering Sandra Pires....
, 5-7, S, Brazil National, Rio de Janerio, Brazil
11 Judy Bellomo, 5-10, OH/MB, UC Santa Barbara, Glendale, CA
12 Ellen Crandall-Orner, 6-0, OH/MB, Penn State, Rockton, Pa.
13 Janet Cobbs, 6-0, MB, North Dakota St., St. Paul, Mn.
14 Lori Zeno, 5-9, OH/S, UCLA, Fountain Valley, Ca.
Head Coach: Jeff Nelson
Ass't Coach: Steve Willingham