Katrinka Crawford, former UTSA volleyball coach, with members of her team.
Coach Katrinka Crawford dies after fight with cancer
(Nov. 28, 2001)--Members of the Tri-Campus community are mourning the loss of Katrinka Jo Crawford, former UTSA volleyball coach, who died early in the afternoon of Thanksgiving Day, Nov. 22 at her mother's home in Channelview after a 17-month battle with renal cancer. She was 44. She had been taken by ambulance Nov. 18 from her San Antonio residence to Channelview.
A memorial service for Crawford will be held at noon Monday, Dec. 3 in the University Center Retama Room on the 1604 Campus. For more information contact Leigh Anne Gullett, assistant director of sports information, at (210) 458-4930.
A Katrinka Crawford Benefit Fund has been established at Bank of America. The fund will be used to help defray her medical expenses and any money left over will go toward volleyball scholarships. Anyone wanting to contribute to the fund should contact Rick Nixon, assistant director of sports relations, at (210) 458-4551. Nixon also has contact information for anyone who would like to send a card to Crawford's mother.
"Katrinka's courage and perseverance, both on and off the court, set an example for all of us," said UTSA President Ricardo Romo. "Harriett and I send our sympathies to her family and friends. Katrinka will remain in our hearts and memories as a true inspiration."
Crawford, who helped lead UTSA to its first NCAA Tournament berth last season, had 434 career coaching victories to her credit, with 98 coming at UTSA over the past six years. Diagnosed with renal cancer in June of 1999, she had remained the guiding force on the sidelines for UTSA, before stepping down as coach just two weeks ago to battle her illness.
In November 2000, just prior to departing with the volleyball team for their first-ever appearance in the NCAA Volleyball Championship playoffs in Santa Barbara, Calif., Crawford was honored with the institution's inaugural President's Excellence Award.
Funeral arrangements were made through Earthman Funeral Directors and Cemetery in Baytown.
----------------------------------------------------------
Katrinka Jo Crawford's legacy
Crawford managed the sidelines at UTSA for six years and at college volleyball courts around the country for the past 21 years. In those 21 years, she compiled a 434-372-2 career record. She coached 43 all-conference performers, one all-American, three academic all-Americans and the 2000 Academic all-America of the Year.
Crawford first grabbed a clipboard and donned Roadrunner orange and blue in 1996. Her impact was immediate. Taking over a squad that had finished 15-20 the previous season, Crawford coached the team to a 17-15 mark and a fourth-place conference finish, picking up Southland Conference (SLC) Coach of the Year honors for her efforts.
In 1997 she welcomed a recruiting class that would help her rewrite the school record books. Their first year was more than a little bit bumpy. The young squad struggled to a 10-22 finish. The next season showed much improvement, pushing the group above .500 with a 16-12 mark, while sophomore Tamara Luckemeyer earned SLC Player of the Year honors and Stacy Schmidt picked up SLC Newcomer of the Year accolades.
In 1999, Crawford's team rolled to a 22-7 mark and their first SLC title. Luckemeyer was again named the SLC Player of the Year. Crawford's Roadrunners weren't done yet. The four freshman from her very first UTSA recruiting class had one more goal. In 2000, they reached it, hitting a late season 15-0 run to earn a spot in the NCAA Tournament, finishing with a 24-9 mark. Luckemeyer didn't earn her third straight Player of the Year title in 2000, instead she picked up a different honor to go with her SLC Tournament MVP crown -- the Verizon Academic all-America of the Year.
Meanwhile, Crawford's latest recruit, Charlsie Heifrin, ensured that the outgoing seniors' legacy was firmly in place, earning SLC Freshman of the Year honors and spending much of the season among the nation's blocking leaders.
Prior to taking over the helm at UTSA, Crawford guided Lamar through 15 seasons, two SLC championships, one American South Conference championship, an American South Co-Conference championship, one Sun Belt title and three NCAA appearances. She also served as an assistant coach on the United States Junior National Team in 1984.
Before arriving at Lamar in 1981, Crawford served a one-year stint as an assistant coach at Colorado State and was the junior varsity coach at Utah State the previous year. While at Colorado State she helped guide the Rams to a 10-4 mark.
Crawford began her collegiate career at the University of Houston in 1975, close to her hometown in Channelview. During her two seasons at Houston, Crawford helped the Cougars to an 87-17-3 record before transferring to Utah State in 1977.
As a senior, Crawford helped lead the Lady Aggies to an AIAW national championship, garnering all-America honors along the way. She was named the school's outstanding player and earned a spot on the all-conference squad both years at USU. Crawford and her Aggie teammates put up an 88-15-4 mark during her two year stay. Crawford graduated from Utah State in 1980 with a bachelor's degree in physical education.
UTSA Athletics contributed to this article.
----------------------------------------------------------
TODAY'S HEADLINES:
"Bridges to Future" program to help UTSA, St. Phillip's College recruit minorities
into the Sciences
Immigration
roundtable tonight to feature national scholars, advocates
Graduate
research colloquium to be conducted Nov. 29
Rally
and Spirit Day tip off UTSA men's basketball season
Coach Katrinka Crawford dies after fight with cancer
----------------------------------------------------------
© The University of Texas at San Antonio, 2001