DeBoer, Kathy (2015)

Kathy graduated Grand Rapids Christian and excelled in 4 sports in high school, winning 4 MVP awards in basketball, volleyball, and softball. Kathy also excelled in tennis, playing with the boys’ team on the #1 doubles team in the fall of 1972 and then playing #1 singles on the girls team in the spring of 1973.

Kathy went on to play basketball, volleyball, and tennis for two years at Calvin College before finishing her college playing career with two years of volleyball and basketball at Michigan State. Her college coach was fellow GR Christian Athletic Hall of Fame member, Karen Langeland. In 1978, Kathy was a nominee for the Wade Trophy, which honors the top female Division I college basketball player. After graduating, Kathy played two seasons in the Women’s Basketball League, the forerunner of today’s WNBA.

Kathy’s college coaching career was in volleyball, beginning at Ferris State University, where she was named the GLIAC Coach of the Year in 1981, ‘82, and ‘83. She then moved on to the University of Kentucky where she had a highly successful 10 seasons. Coach DeBoer was named National Coach of the Year in 1987. She also served as an advisor to the Women’s Olympic Volleyball team for the ‘96 Olympics in Atlanta.

In addition to her coaching accolades, Kathy has earned the Michigan State University Distinguished Alumna Award in 1989, the MSU Alumna Scholar-Athlete Award in 1999, was selected to the Ferris State University Sports Hall of Fame in 2003, and to the University of Kentucky Athletics Hall of Fame in 2009. She has written a book titled, “Gender and Competition: How Men and Women Approach Work and Play Differently”.

Kathy has set a standard for coaching and competing that combines the best of competition and sportsmanship and is a bright star in the world of collegiate athletics.

“This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.”  Psalms 118:24