Peru State College Athletics

The inscription on 1996 Volleyball Team plaque which is exhibited in the upper lobby of the Al Wheeler Activity Center reads as follows: “The 1996 Peru State volleyball team was the third team in four years to earn a trip to the NAIA Women’s Volleyball National Championship.
 
The Bobcats, with only one senior on the squad, earned an at-large berth to the tourney having finished the regular season with a 39-11 mark. In the Midwest Regional Tournament, Peru State won a key match-up over Rockhurst (Mo.) which helped propel them into the national tournament.
 
At the national tournament held at Point Loma Nazarene in San Diego, the Bobcats pulled off the upset of the tourney in pool play. Peru State defeated Brigham Young-Hawaii. After losing the first two sets 1-15, 5-15, the Bobcats came back to win 15-8, 15-9, 15-8. The team finished pool play 2-2, but did not advance to the championship bracket. Ironically, BYU-Hawaii went on to win their third consecutive title.
 
Peru State, who was coached by first-year head coach, Todd Jensen, finished the year with a 41-13 record, one of the highest win total in Bobcat volleyball history.
 
At the time of induction, five of the Bobcat players are still listed in Peru State volleyball single-season or career top ten records.