Dave Vitatoe '00
For Beth (Priestap) Frabotta ’94, the road to John Carroll University started out like many other Blue Streaks. Her father attended a Jesuit school and she was looking for that type of environment not far from her home in Greater Detroit. She was also a stand-out athlete seeking to continue her volleyball career at the college level, despite being undersized for the college game. Her volleyball recruiting process, however, was emblematic of a program that seemed light years away from relevance.
In 1990, Kathleen Manning ’72, broadly considered the “Godmother” of JCU women’s athletics, had stepped aside as head volleyball coach after spending years getting the women’s athletic programs established at the University. By the time Frabotta visited campus, the lone member of the volleyball coaching staff was a familiar name, but one in an unlikely seat. Jerry Schweickert ’60, an already accomplished head football and baseball coach at JCU, stepped in to keep things moving during the hiring of a new coach. Unexpectedly, it was Schweickert who can be credited with delivering one of the foundational pieces to the program’s ultimate turnaround.
“I was certainly surprised to meet Jerry on my recruiting visit, especially since he seemingly knew very little about volleyball,” said Frabotta. “He even had his baseball players show me around campus because that’s all he knew. But he felt like a father-figure, a stabilizing force in his own right, and represented JCU so well, I left wanting to be a part of the community.”
Schweickert would later stay on as an assistant to new head coach Gretchen Weitbrecht who quickly changed the culture and approach to recruiting. “Coach Weitbrecht took things to another level,” said Frabotta. “She came with a knowledge of the best high school programs in the Cleveland area and utilized players on her roster from out of state to go recruit Detroit, Chicago, and elsewhere.” After bringing in an influx of talented freshmen, the program finished with a .500 record during the 1991 season, a significant jump from Frabotta’s freshman year when the squad finished just 9-18. Despite the new identity and momentum on the court, the young Blue Streaks could not have predicted the trajectory of the next few seasons.
Loaded with young and inexperienced talent, the 1992 team set a school record in going 33-3. The winning ways seemingly caught the players and coaches by surprise as success was all coming together before their eyes. Despite a historic campaign, the record was not enough to earn a spot in the NCAA tournament and the snub would provide a strong sense of motivation that offseason. “We worked harder that spring and summer and started training with weights and cardio, things that were unheard of at the time for female athletes at our level,” said Frabotta. “We also spent a lot of time together, which was a pleasure because we all liked being together as friends. The chemistry truly developed during that time.”
Frabotta’s senior season was one to remember. The squad returned with a deep lineup featuring the likes of Leslie Mahl ’94, a 5’9” floor general, and Stacey (Mullally) Bainbridge ’95, a humble star with Division I talent who would go on to become JCU’s first All-American in volleyball. Key role players included the late Kathy (Frickman) McPhillips ’95, a talented outside hitter, and Julie (Pavolino) Kolcum ’95 who was described as the “heart of the team.” Talented newcomers like Chicagoans Katy (Perrone) McGrath ’97 and Liz (Black) Ryan ’97 contributed, and there was Frabotta, the senior captain.
With a chip on its shoulder, Frabotta points to an early-season tournament in Chicago as the turning point for this legendary team. The Blue Streaks ended up winning the tournament, the first tournament win of any kind in program history, serving as validation for the players and coaches. “I just remember my parents came to the tournament and didn’t exactly expect us to win,” said Frabotta. “They were in jeopardy of missing their flight and I still remember looking over at my dad, standing in the corner of the gym yelling at the driver to wait so he could see the end of the match.” From there, the team would go on to steamroll through the rest of the regular season.
The 1993 volleyball team finished with 34 wins, the program’s first OAC title, and a bid to the NCAA tournament, cementing it as one of the all-time greats in JCU athletic history and the only women’s team inducted into the JCU Athletic Hall of Fame. But the legacy of that team is far greater to those who were a part of it. From team dinners at the coaches’ houses to riding to and from games in parents’ vans, to exchanging Christmas cards and hosting mini-reunions to this day, it was a special era of volleyball at JCU resulting in lifelong friendships.
