Family volleyball tree
The Meyers family has made an impact on the CJ volleyball program since Ann first played in the early 1970s. All of the following members have played for the Eagles:
- Ann Meyers (CJ 1976; UD '80)
- Lisa Kuntz (CJ '97), Amy Kuntz (CJ '01), Sarah Kuntz (CJ '03), daughters of Mayer Meyers Kuntz.
- Gretchen Meyers (CJ '06; Seton Hill, Pa., 2010), Greg Meyers (CJ '07), whose parents are Greg Meyers and Karie Spees Meyers (CJ '82).
- Katie Slayback (CJ '05), Megan Slayback (CJ '08), daughters of Janes (Meyers) Hovey (CJ '79, UD '83).
- Alison Hess (CJ '06; Lincoln Memorial '10), Heidi Hess (CJ '13), daughters of Rita (Meyers) Hess (CJ '82).
- Emily Kauth (CJ '08; Bowling Green '12), Grace Kauth (CJ '13), daughters of Margie (Meyers) Kauth (CJ '84, OSU '88).
- Rebecca (Meyers) Gonter-Dray (CJ '90; Mount St. Joseph/UC '94).
- Karen (Meyers) Lackey (CJ '91, Oklahoma '95).
DAYTON — Sweaty and tired, Heidi Hess and Grace Kauth happily clambered into their family cars after Chaminade Julienne High School volleyball matches.
Only neither of them had stepped on the court: They were only in grade school.
“It seemed like every night we were watching a sibling or a cousin play,” Kauth said.
They weren’t exactly watching.
“We would be passing a ball in the hallway,” Hess said. “We would be sweating as much as the players by the time it was all over.”
Now, it’s their turn on the Eagles’ volleyball court. The freshmen cousins both are starters for CJ (10-3).
Kauth, a 5-foot-8 outside hitter, is second to Mallory Hall with 114 kills. Hess, a setter who proudly hit the 5-4 mark this season, leads the squad with 305 assists. Kauth leads the Eagles with 22 aces while Hess is second with 18.
The cousins are second and third to Emma Stumpf in digs with 91 for Kauth and 74 for Hess.
The freshmen are the latest in a long line of volleyball players — 18 — from the Meyers family. A family that, starting with CJ and University of Dayton star Ann Meyers, has helped the Eagles remain competitive for decades.
“Volleyball has always been a part of our family,” Kauth said. “I always knew I’d play.”
The bar was set high by the previous generation. Sisters Ann Meyers, Jane Hovey, Karen Lackey and Margie Kauth are all in the CJ Athletic Hall of Fame. Ann and Jane were also inducted into the UD Athletic Hall of Fame.
“But the game and the players are so much more advanced now,” Margie said. “These girls are light years ahead of us.”
Ann Meyers, who coached the Eagles for 14 years, agrees.
“These girls have played a lot more volleyball and are a lot more polished than we were at their age,” she said. “And there are a lot more opportunities for them.”
Their moms’ generation wasn’t the only one to find success. Three family members are currently playing collegiate volleyball, including Emily Kauth, who recently was nominated for Mid-American Conference player of the week at Bowling Green.
And in a volleyball family, postgame rides home mean more than small talk. There’s plenty of coaching.
“Our moms are not afraid to tell us what we did wrong,” Hess said. “But I think that helps us and makes us better.”
Contact this writer at djunie@aol.com.
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