Phyllis Richardson
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- Year Inducted:
- 2005
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- Sport(s):
- Women's Volleyball/Women's Tennis
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- Inductee Category:
- Coach
Phyllis Richardson was a Moberly High School and junior college teacher when Athletic Director, Dr. James M. Luetjen, picked her for her first coaching job in 1977. She was appointed as Head Women’s Athletic Coach for the Department, serving as a coach for both tennis and volleyball programs.
She earned Coach of the Year awards in both sports. She led the volleyball team to three straight Heart Regular Season Championships (1978-1980) and one Heart Tournament Championship (1978). The 1979 team compiled a 32-5 record and set several program records including single-season wins (32), single-season winning percentage (.865), and fewest single-season losses (5).
That team joined their coach in the Hairston Hall of Fame with induction in 2009.
Richardson led both programs until 1989. Her efforts and impact on women’s athletics at Central Methodist was monumental and, as mentioned above, Richardson was rewarded with induction into the Hairston Hall of Fame in 2005.
Before her time at CMU, Richardson was a physical education teacher at St. Pius X school in Moberly, Moberly High School, and Junior College for over 19 years.
She graduated from the University of Missouri and was a 50-year member of the Delta Gamma Sorority. She was also a 50-year member of PEO. The PEO Sisterhood is an International Organization of 230,000 members based in the United States that provides educational opportunities for female students worldwide.
