2014 Norwin Athletic Hall of Fame

SLIPPERY ROCK, Pa. – Slippery Rock University head volleyball coach and former Norwin High School standout athlete Laurie Lokash will be inducted into the Norwin Athletic Hall of Fame as a member of the 2014 class Thursday night.
 
Lokash, a 1979 Norwin graduate, is being recognized not only as an individual, but also as a member of the 1979 Norwin volleyball team that claimed three consecutive state championships.
 
After one season as a member of the Lady Knights tennis program in 1976, Lokash, who received both the Judge Loughran Scholar-Athlete Award and Kass Kovalchek Memorial Award in 1979, made her marks as a member of the volleyball, basketball, and softball teams from 1977-1979.
 
On the softball field, Lokash earned Norwin's Most Valuable Player honors in 1979 and was chosen as a member of the Golden Triangle National Fast Pitch team, an all-star team that competed in a national tournament in Binghamton, New York.
 
As a member of Norwin's three-peat WPIAL and PIAA state championship volleyball teams from 1977-1979, she was a PIAA first-team all-state selection in 1978 and 1979. In 1979, Lokash received Pittsburgh's Golden Triangle YMCA Award for volleyball.
 
It was in volleyball that Lokash found a career path. Her prowess on the court led to playing careers at West Virginia University (one season) and Penn State University (three seasons), before Lokash made her coaching debut at Slippery Rock in 1984.
 
In her 31st year in charge of the Slippery Rock volleyball program, Lokash enters the 2014 season as the 10th winningest active coach in NCAA Division II. Coach Lokash has compiled a 574-465 record in 30 seasons at The Rock. During that span, she has guided Rock spikers to five Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference-Western Division titles and two overall crowns.
 
In 2002, Coach Lokash was recognized for her years of service and success by induction into the Pennsylvania Volleyball Coaches Association Hall of Fame.
 
Lokash will be one of nine individuals included in the Norwin Athletic Hall of Fame's Class of 2014. Joining her as members of the induction class will be Lori Barberich (Rose), Mike Natale, Tim Morgan, Ron Schuchert, Mike Shanahan, Geary Tray, Jeff Wirth and Ken Wysocki.