With an overall season record of 15-1, the Lady Wayne Warriors have become the first volleyball team in UA Wayne College history to win the ORCC state title.

The Warriors, who were the top-seeded team from the ORCC East, won over OU-Lancaster three games to two on Saturday and defeated ORCC West champion Miami U-Hamilton by the same score on Sunday. In Sunday night’s championship match Wayne College won out over Miami U-Middletown 3-1.

According to Patrick Rufener, athletic director of the college, not only is this the first time Wayne College has won the state volleyball title, it’s also the first state championship title for Wayne athletics overall since 1998, when the women’s basketball team won the state championship.

Rufener said the team’s work ethic and “outstanding” coaching by Karen Beavers were a large part of their success.

Beavers has been the Wayne volleyball coach for four years and previously coached high school volleyball at Woodridge and Wadsworth. She commended the team for being dedicated and working well together. “They all really wanted to win. They were a great group of kids.”

The team members, all of whom attended Wayne County high schools, are: ORCC Tournament MVP Courtney Kent from Norwayne; Kori Gallion, who earned All-ORCC Tournament honors, from Rittman; Brielle Sweeney and Jamie Zemrock of Triway; Abby Hanzie and Keylee Hanzie from Norwayne; Haley Workman from Rittman; Merry Adams from Kingsway Christian; and Joselyn Peck of Wooster.