BREESE, Ill. — The Decatur MacArthur volleyball team ended a four-year postseason victory drought Monday night, earning an emotional three-set victory over Charleston while honoring the memory of longtime assistant coach and team statistician Kari (Muma) Hemingway.
The Generals defeated Charleston 25-23, 20-25, 25-17 in the opening round of the IHSA Class 3A Breese Mater Dei Regional, securing the program’s first postseason victory since October 24, 2022, when MacArthur defeated crosstown rival Eisenhower in the Rochester Regional.
Junior Trinitee Sutton led the Generals with 17 kills and three service aces. Junior Nora Barnett recorded 23 assists, while Natalya Manns contributed 14 digs and Zahnya Gibbs added two blocks.
The historic victory came during an emotional week for the MacArthur volleyball program.
Following the team’s regular-season finale against Springfield Lanphier last week, the Generals learned that Hemingway had passed away after a multi-year battle with multiple myeloma.
Hemingway, who served as a team statistician and assistant coach, had a lasting impact on volleyball throughout the Decatur area.
In 2024, she was recognized with the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA)/United States Marine Corps Battle Tested Award. The honor is presented annually to a coach who has made significant contributions to the sport while facing adversity.
As a club volleyball coach, Hemingway also played an instrumental role in developing several current MacArthur players, providing opportunities for national exposure through elite tournaments in Kansas City, Orlando and Chicago.
Before Monday’s postseason opener, MacArthur players wore commemorative T-shirts during warmups to honor their late coach.
The shirts featured a custom-designed logo and Hemingway’s message, “Keep Fighting, Don’t Give Up,” on the front, with her name and each player’s jersey number displayed on the back.
The Generals’ postseason run came to an end Tuesday night, falling to Breese Mater Dei in straight sets, 25-7, 25-18, in the regional semifinals.
MacArthur finished the season with a 13-19 record, marking the program’s highest win total since 2019.
Despite the season-ending defeat, the Generals closed the year having reached two significant milestones: their first double-digit win season since 2019 and their first postseason victory in four years.
The MacArthur volleyball program also plans to honor Hemingway during a home match next season, with a date yet to be announced.
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