The Drury volleyball program dates back to the early 1970’s. With total respect to those 45-years and the hundreds of players who represented Drury throughout the history of the program, there is little debate about the fact that the ten years from 1984-1993 would have to be called “The Golden Years” of Drury Panther Volleyball. Prior to the early ‘80’s Drury teams were rarely, if ever, in the conversation about national rankings. It was very much the same in terms of being considered a threat to claim the NAIA District 16 title. But from 1984-1993 the Drury volleyball teams were regularly in the national rankings discussion and the teams were a powerhouse who were annually in the hunt for the NAIA District 16 title.
There were hundreds of outstanding volleyball players who graced the hardwoods of Weiser Gym during that time. Five of those student-athletes, identified as those who made significant contributions in making Drury a dominant player at the district and national level, have been inducted into the Drury Sports Hall of Fame. Today that quintet of Drury volleyball Hall of Famers is joined by another individual who was as dominant a player as any in Drury volleyball history.
Julie Wells, a nominee for All-America honors (1991), was one of only a few student-athletes in Drury volleyball history who earned First Team All-Region honors. In addition she earned All-District 16 honors three times (1990, 1991 and 1992) and was a four-year letterman. Julie was the program’s Player-of-the-Year in 1991 and 1992. The only players to have been similarly honored are the five standouts who have already been inducted into the Drury Sports Hall of Fame: Paula Wohnhas-Wiedemann (1985-89), Stephanie Bates (1987-91), Sandy Rippee-Gilpin (1990-94) and Karen Smith (1987-90). Carolyn Phillips-Johnson (1980-83) helped lay the groundwork for the “Decade of Dominance”.
For five years Julie was part of the Panther teams that were annually in the district tournament as well as being listed in the NAIA volleyball national rankings. Her first year on the roster Julie was “redshirted”. However, she was still a part of that team and she played a role in helping the Paula Wohnhas/Stephanie Bates led team in helping fashion a 43-11 record. It was that team, which was ranked nationally all year, that claimed the program’s first District 16 title.
In 1989 she was part of the 1-2-3 punch of Bates-Smith-Wells that finished third in District 16. In 1990 it was again a 1-2-3 punch of Bates-Wells-Rippee that propelled the Panthers to a Top 20 national ranking and a record of 41-12. In 1991 Julie earned First Team All-District 16 honors, First Team All Region honors and was named Drury’s Player of the Year as she led the team in kills, attack percentage and block assists. Her final season (1992) she again garnered All-District honors and led the Panthers to a 27-18 record. In the five years she was part of the Drury volleyball program the team was nationally-ranked in three seasons and qualified for five consecutive NAIA District 16 tournaments. Her teams’ five-year record was 160-84, good for an average win-loss record of 32-17.
When her career came to an end Julie held the single season attack percentage, was second in attack kills and fourth in kill blocks. In the all-time career records book Julie was second in attack kills, trailing only Paula Wohnhas; she was third all-time in kill blocks and sixth in games played in a career. Her name continues to be sprinkled throughout the Drury volleyball record books. Today she becomes only the sixth volleyball player in the history of the program, a program that is 40-plus years old, to be inducted into the Drury Sports Hall of Fame.
Julie graduated on May 16, 1993 and earned an A.B. from Drury with a double major: Biology and Exercise and Sport Science. Julie Wells Hayes and her husband, Dan, reside in Republic, Mo. and they are the proud parents of three children, all of whom are present today: Aubrey (17), Mason (10) and Dalton (9). Julie is in her 20th year as a registered nurse and for the last five years has been with Cox South Hospital as part of the pre-admission department.
