Maryellen (McCann) Durow (2006) - Hall of Fame

Maryellen (McCann) Durow

Induction:
2006
Class:
1988

Coach Iradge Ahrabi-Fard's fourth volleyball team at the University of Northern Iowa finished its 1984 campaign at 16-16 and finished in a tie for sixth place in the Gateway Conference. While the record wasn't spectacular, the season was a learning experience for Maryellen McCann and her teammates. It didn't take long to turn the Panthers into a volleyball powerhouse.

McCann, who came to UNI after graduating from Pius XI High School in Milwaukee in 1984, would become part of an unprecedented run of success at UNI. The Panthers posted a 23-6 record in 1985 and tied for third in the Gateway. McCann, or "Mellen" as she was known to her teammates, was a second team all-conference selection and helped lead the Panthers to an impressive 30-3 mark in 1986, including an 8-1 mark in league play that led UNI to a share of its first Gateway title. The Panthers also made their first appearance in the NCAA Tournament, with McCann finishing the season with a then-record .352 hitting percentage, a mark that at the time of her induction was still third-best in UNI history. That included a match against Northeast Missouri State in which she hit a sparkling .818.

As a senior co-captain, McCann helped the Panthers continue to make a name for themselves on the national scene, as the team went 34-5 and won the Gateway crown outright with a 9-0 league record. McCann was a first team all-Gateway and all-Midwest Region pick after leading the Panthers in kills, with 494, and helped lead the team to its second straight NCAA Tournament appearance. She also was second on the team in digs with 361, still was the 10th best season total in school history.

At the time of her induction, McCann's career totals for kills (1,226) and service aces (146) were both in the top 10 in UNI history, while still owning the record for solo blocks in a five-game match with seven.

After graduating from UNI with a bachelor's degree in teaching in 1988, McCann continued to be involved in volleyball and took a head coaching position at Irving High School in Irving, Texas, in 1990. She held the position for nine seasons, taking a program that went 3-13 in 1990 and transforming it into a juggernaut that posted a 32-3 season in 1997. McCann was named Coach of the Year four consecutive seasons from 1994-1997 by the Irving News and earned the same honor from the Dallas Morning News in 1995. She was named district coach of the year in 1996.