Kelly Pang and Drew Hargrave, teammates on the 2009 Washington University volleyball national championship team, grew up around multiple sports, eventually falling in love with volleyball.
“My grandparents loved watching University of Hawaii sports and had season tickets to men’s and women’s volleyball. My siblings and I really wouldn’t pay attention and would play jacks at the games, but we were always around sports,” stated Pang, who despite living in Hawaii, found herself drawn to indoor athletics. “Whereas the broadcasting opportunities and viewership numbers are higher for men’s sports, volleyball is female-dominant and driven, so that discrepancy isn’t nearly as noticeable.”
Like many women in her generation, Hargrave had two parents who were athletes. “They knew the value of their daughter participating in sports at a young age. My first love was soccer, which I played for 10 years, with my parents coaching me when I was very young,” she recalled. “My mom continued to coach several of my all-star teams and was a great coach. I also played basketball, softball, tennis, ran track, and joined a swim team.”
Although it did not hinder her, Hargrave remembered hearing sexist statements. “In middle school, I remember some girls being made fun of for being too sporty or boyish. I’m not sure that I understood the impact that may have had on certain people. I’m sure it was impacting me in some ways too, but I always loved playing and being active, so I just kept doing it,” she described. “What impacted me more was in high school when a boy in my class told me girls aren’t good at math. It really upset me because I am actually good at math so I didn’t understand why he would say that. Gender roles and biases have played a big role in my life though I have been able to push past them most of the time.”
Watching High-Level Volleyball
With the volleyball being very competitive in Hawaii, Pang was accustomed to watching matches at the highest level. “I had many role models and was able to see players older than me who established great legacies at UH. When I was younger, I represented the Aloha Region and remember the older team included Tamari Miyashiro (two-time NCAA Division I Defensive Player of the Year at University of Washington), who is now an assistant coach for the U.S. Olympic team,” she recollected. “Even in the sixth and seventh grade, I was competing with people who were of that caliber and it leaves an impression on you.”
Hargrave admits she didn’t know a lot about volleyball when she started playing in the seventh grade. “I was tall, and the sport looked fun. Our high school team was really good and one of the players went on to play at Stanford (University) so they were always fun to watch,” she stated. “I also attended a lot of Division I matches with my mom. We saw Pepperdine the most and they had really strong men’s and women’s programs back then. I also grew up watching UCLA and USC play. Living in Southern California with such great volleyball definitely impacted my love for the game.”
Playing at WashU
Their route to WashU may have been different, but both Hargrave and Pang were thankful for the opportunity to play for such a strong program and at a place where women’s sports were so successful on a national level. “It was my dream to attend a very strong academic school where I could play high-level volleyball and I absolutely found that at WashU,” reflected Hargrave. “I remember when (then head) coach (Rich) Luenemann emailed me and I would see his signature that read ‘9 National Championships.’ It was so motivating to be part of a program that had so many phenomenal women come before me.”
Pang broke the program’s all-time digs record and still holds the top mark with 2,520 career digs.
Pang set her sights on playing Division I volleyball. “Throughout high school, I aspired to play in college. I originally wanted to try to walk on at a Division I school. After recovering from five knee surgeries and getting hurt again my senior season, I was thinking of not playing in college, which led to an argument with my parents who thought I should explore other options,” she admitted. “The more I learned about WashU, the more I liked it. My parents encouraged me to take the opportunity to keep playing while getting a great education and in hindsight, they were right.”
Beyond the victories, which included the program’s 10th NCAA title in 2009, Hargrave and Pang both thrived in the school’s environment. “Never for a moment did I doubt that women student-athletes and women’s sports were valued at WashU. Our athletic director (John Schael) and chancellor (Mark Wrighton) were always at our matches supporting us, which really meant a lot,” Hargrave noted. “I also really loved being a part of an athletic department where so many of our teams, especially our women’s teams, were so competitive. Our women’s basketball team also won a national championship while I was at WashU and it was great being surrounded by so many fierce women athletes.”
The Bears after capturing the 2009 NCAA Division III Volleyball Championship title
“Going from high school, which is so structured, to college can be a challenge. Our structure came from knowing when you have practice and utilizing your time wisely. The university did a nice job of creating an atmosphere that was supportive and not cutthroat with a friendly and helpful environment where people were willing to help one another. At WashU, someone else’s or my success equaled our success,” Pang described.
Coaching
Hargrave, who currently serves as the head coach at Haverford College, expounded on an intriguing by-product of Title IX in terms of coaches. “Title IX has had a tremendous impact on girls’ sports. There are so many opportunities for girls to play that we likely would not have without Title IX. However, it had a different impact on women in coaching,” she expressed. “Prior to Title IX, only women were coaching women. After Title IX and the growth of women’s sports, coaching women became a more valued role that included increased salaries. As a result, men started to be hired to coach women. The topic is more complicated than that, but I think it is important to note.”
Hargrave entered the season with a 90-57 record at Haverford, leading the Fords to the second round of the 2021 NCAA Division III Volleyball Championship
Pang has noted how coaching and parenting styles have changed since she played. “It is not necessarily a positive or negative, but it is different. Coaching at the JV level, I have learned to be a lot more positive. I am not a negative person, but if a girl is gunning for Division I, it seems to be more acceptable to give her negative feedback,” she explained. “JV players may be on the fence about whether to continue with the sport, and I am able to talk with players about where they may fit in if they want to continue playing.”
She added that having role models is important for other girls and women to envision coaching as career. “They may not have seen themselves in that role if not for people like Teri Clemens (who led WashU to seven NCAA championships in 14 years) and Mary Wise (who has coached 31 years at University of Florida, eclipsing 1,000 career victories). Drew became a head coach at 25 and hopefully this generation brings out more young women like her to coach,” Pang remarked.
“I have been really lucky as a coach to have worked at two institutions that really value women’s sports,” Hargrave stated. “Smith College is a women’s college and my master’s program emphasized coaching women. Haverford is co-ed, but both men’s and women’s sports are valued and appreciated in the same way. There is a real sense that all our sports matter. I do know this is not the case everywhere. We see inequities in opportunities available to girls and women of color across all levels and sports. There is a lot of work to do, but I do have a sense of excitement around where we are heading and what is possible for girls and women in sports.”