Missouri Western State University Athletics

Led by Hall of Fame Head Coach Rhesa Sumrell, the 1983 Griffons were in year nine of the program's existence when they set a then-program best record of 59-9 overall and went 13-1 in the CSIC. Spearheaded by All-CSIC players like first-team spiker Shelly Skoch, first-team setter Lynn Umbach, and second-team spikers Mendy Chandler and Barb McMahill, Missouri Western marched all the way to its third-ever CSIC Championship. The Griffons went on to win the District 16 Championship, yielding zero set losses throughout six matches and then clinching the Bi-District 8 title in a 3-0 win over Arkansas Tech.

Throughout this run, Umbach and Skoch also earned All-American Honorable Mention honors. The District 16 Championship catapulted Missouri Western into the NAIA National Tournament, winning its first two matches and eventually going 4-3 overall. This capped the Griffs' season with a fourth-place finish in the national tourney, their best finish in program history.