Athletics Hall of Fame

Julia’s journey in soccer is a story of talent, extraordinary resilience and determination. From a young age, Julia set her sights on greatness, representing our region and nation in the Olympic Development Program, where she toured France and Italy, showcasing her skills on an international stage in 2001-2002.

She faced significant challenges, including two ACL tears in 2001 and 2003, coming back after each injury stronger and more determined. In 2003, following her second recovery, she was named Ursuline’s Rookie of the Year, a testament to her excellence on the field.

Julia’s high school career was marked by an impressive array of accolades: a three-time Missouri All-State First Team honoree, a Soccer Buzz Top 75 Nationwide Recruit, a two-time NSCAA Midwest Regional All-American, the St. Louis Cardinals Female Athlete of the Year and the All-Metro Post Dispatch Girls Soccer Player of the Year in 2005. Her offensive skills were unparalleled, earning her back-to-back titles as Missouri Offensive Player of the Year and the prestigious Missouri Gatorade Player of the Year for both the 2004-2005 and 2005-2006 seasons.

Julia continued her soccer career at Saint Louis University, where she earned the All-American, Rookie of the Year, a member of the Top Drawer College Soccer Team, and a three-time Atlantic 10 All-Conference Team member. As a member of the 2006 SLU Soccer team, Julia was honored with the Bob Burnes Award as well as inducted into the Billiken Hall of Fame. 

Julia continues to live her passion and inspire young athletes by helping them build confidence while getting stronger & quicker on the ball. Today she teaches speed/agility, injury prevention, personal training, and strength/conditioning and mentors athletes of all ages. She is considered a high-performance coach and owns her own business; Julia Schaeffer Fitness.

Lori's journey at Ursuline began in volleyball, where she played on the varsity team for four years. As a freshman, she helped lead her team to a third-place finish in the state championship—an extraordinary start to a storied high school career. Her exceptional skills on the court were recognized with an All-State Honorable Mention that very year, and she continued to excel, earning spots on the all-metro, all-district, and all-conference teams every year thereafter. Lori's leadership qualities shone brightly as she captained her team during her junior and senior years, earning her Ursuline’s Rookie of the Year award, the 110% award, and the coveted MVP award. 

Lori's athletic prowess was not confined to the volleyball court. She was also a four-year varsity basketball player, where she served as team captain her senior year and was a key player on the all-metro, all-district, and all-conference teams during her junior and senior years. Her talents also extended to the soccer field as a goalie and to Ursuline’s Track team where she competed her senior year. New to the sport, she took on the role of captain while running the 200m, 400m, and 800m races. This effort earned her yet another Ursuline’s 110% award for her relentless dedication.

Beyond athletics, Lori excelled academically. She was a member of Ursuline’s National Honor Society, graduated fourth in her class with a 4.4 GPA, and was recognized as Ursuline’s St. Louis Post Dispatch Scholar Athlete in 1998. She also received the prestigious CLC Award at graduation. 

After Ursuline, she pursued a full-ride scholarship to Southeast Missouri State University playing Division 1 volleyball. There she served as team captain and continued her pursuit of academic excellence being on the Ohio Valley Conference's Commissioner's Honor Roll all four years.

Lori's passion for sports seamlessly transitioned into a successful coaching career, beginning right here at Ursuline where she served as a volleyball assistant varsity coach and head JV coach, before taking on the role of head varsity coach. Under her leadership, the team captured a district championship.

Today, Lori continues to inspire young athletes as a coach for the Rockwood Thunder Volleyball Club, shaping the next generation with the same fervor and commitment she has shown throughout her life.

Sister Irene Regina's journey in athletics began here in St. Louis, Missouri, where her passion for sports was evident from a young age. She played basketball during a transformative era just after the birth of Title IX. Although records from those days were scarce and the state association had yet to sponsor girls' sports officially, Sister Irene Regina's impact on the court was profound and inspiring. In addition to her commitment to basketball, Sister Irene Regina played volleyball, softball, and shot put during her years at Ursuline.

This same athletic prowess earned her a basketball scholarship to St. Mary's University in San Antonio, where she went on to be in the top ten career records in total points, field goals, and rebounds, as well as earn an All-American Honor during the 1982-1983 season. She graduated cum laude in 1983 and was inducted into the St. Mary's Athletics Hall of Fame in 1994.

Shortly after college, Sister Irene Regina continued to discover what God was calling her to be. This search led her to the Daughters of St. Paul during an Archdiocesan Vocation retreat in St. Louis, entering the congregation on Nov. 1, 1983, in Boston and taking her first vows in 1987.

Today, she has a Master's in Biblical Theology from the Augustine Institute in Denver, and resides in Florida, serving the church and her community in the Archdiocese of Miami.

Jen's journey in athletics at Ursuline was nothing short of remarkable. She was a formidable force on the basketball court, where she became the first player in our school’s history to score 1,000 points in her career. This milestone was reached during a memorable game against Affton High School in the 1987-88 season. For 25 years, Jen held the title of Scoring Leader at Ursuline Academy, a testament to her skill, determination, and leadership.

But Jen’s talents were not confined to the basketball court. She was also a four-year letter winner in volleyball and a two-year letter winner in softball, showcasing her versatility and competitive spirit across multiple sports. Her achievements in basketball and volleyball earned her the honor of being named the Post-Dispatch Scholar Athlete for Ursuline Academy in 1988, highlighting her excellence both in sports and academics.

Following her illustrious high school career, Jen continued to excel at St. Louis University, where she competed in both volleyball and basketball. Her dedication and outstanding performance in collegiate athletics were recognized when she was named NCAA Woman of the Year for SLU in 1992. 

Jen returned to Ursuline as an assistant volleyball coach, uplifting and inspiring her team at every opportunity, sharing her legacy with the next generation of young women athletes. Today, that dedication continues through her role as an Ursuline coworker for the past twelve years, wherein she serves our students, coworkers, and Alumnae Association communities.

From her very first season as a freshman on the varsity basketball team, Hannah's tenacity and skill were unmistakable. Despite not starting in her first game—a detail she recalls with a playful note of 'bitterness'—her indomitable spirit shone through as she took to the court just two minutes into the game, never again to relinquish her role as a pivotal player. She closed her debut season as the MVP of the Fox School District Tournament, boasting impressive averages of 10.6 points, 2.7 steals, and 1.7 assists per game.

As a sophomore, Hannah improved her statistical contributions across the board. She stepped up her game to average 12.1 points, 3.5 steals, and 2.2 assists per game, a testament to her relentless work ethic and dedication to improvement. Her outstanding season earned her a rightful place on the 1st team all-conference and notable rankings in steals and points scored within the conference.

Entering her junior year, Hannah continued to set the court ablaze with record-breaking performances that included scoring a personal career high of 30 points in a single game against Notre Dame Regional High School. This achievement placed her fourth in Ursuline's all-time single-game scoring records. Additionally, her remarkable vision and generosity on the court saw her distribute a career-high 10 assists in another game, securing her a spot as one of the top playmakers in our school's history.

By her senior year, Hannah's leadership and skill culminated spectacularly. She surpassed the 1,000-point threshold, a milestone she achieved on December 13, 2012, securing her status as Ursuline’s all-time leading scorer with 1,295 points. Her consistent excellence did not go unnoticed, as she was named Athlete of the Week by the STL Post-Dispatch, and continued to dominate in both the school's and conference's statistical rankings for points, assists, and steals.

Though we honor her tonight for her unparalleled contributions to basketball, Hannah's athletic prowess extended to the lacrosse field, where she also excelled and left a lasting mark at both Ursuline and Rockhurst University. Her achievements in lacrosse include being a four-year starter, an MVP, All-State recognition, and holding records in multiple categories.

This exceptional team demonstrated not only skill and dedication on the field but also a profound sense of teamwork and sportsmanship that led them to capture the coveted state title. They have inspired countless young athletes who have followed in their footsteps and have set a high bar for what can be achieved with hard work and unity.

Let us recognize each member of this historic team:

Allison Balch ’05, Katie Behr ’03, Michelle Bucheit ’05, Jessica Deutsch ’04, Julie Dillon ’05, Adrienne Dybus ’04, Jesse Graf ’03, Liz Hogan ’03, Megan Hutchingson ’05, Cathy Jackson ’05, Kim Kinsella ’04, Jackie Lueders ’04, Jenny Lueders ’04, Kristin Lueders ’03, Mimi Martinez ’03, Megan Matthews ’04, Erin Meyer ’04, Libby Prewitt '03, Amanda Ponzer ’04, Christine Sansone ’05, Lisa St. Vrain ’06, Elle Vatterott ’05, Alison Ward ’03, and Lucy Wehking ’05

And let us not forget the pivotal roles played by the team's dedicated managers, Lauren Grana ’03 and Gina Rende ’03.

Guiding this extraordinary team was Head Coach Judy Anderson and Assistant Coaches Steve Dybus and J.C. Dillon whose leadership and vision were instrumental in guiding our champions to victory.