Rhonda Babb-Navarre

After helping the Cowley College volleyball, softball, and women’s basketball teams achieve great success in the early 1980’s, Rhonda Babb Navarre will be inducted into the Tiger Athletic Hall of Fame on Feb. 11.

Babb-Navarre became the volleyball program’s first All-American in 1983 as she led that year’s team to a record of 26-9-3. She also helped lead the 1983-84 women’s basketball team to a share of the Jayhawk Conference Eastern Division championship, and the 1984 softball team to the Region VI championship.

Despite all of her success, Babb-Navarre was surprised to find out about her upcoming induction.

“I thought why me, they must have the wrong person,” Babb-Navarre said. “I am so honored, I feel I don’t deserve it.”

Babb-Navarre has fond memories of her time at Cowley, especially of Linda Hargrove, who was her coach in both volleyball and basketball.

“I had so much fun at the school, and met so many neat people,” Navarre said. “I thought the world of Linda and her husband Ed (Cowley’s current softball coach).

Linda was an amazing coach. For such a little lady, she was so energetic and so full of spunk; she made every one of us feel special. She made me want to work hard to do well for her.”

She also enjoyed the teaching of Elvin Hatfield, the lead instructor of Cowley’s criminal justice program.

“He made class a fun learning experience,” Babb-Navarre said.

Babb-Navarre came to Cowley from Belle Plaine High School, where she was a member of the basketball, volleyball, and track teams. She finished her high school basketball career by scoring over 1,000 points.

After starring at Cowley, she worked as a nurse’s assistant prior to spending the last 18 years as a security officer at Boeing in Wichita.

Babb-Navarre and her husband, Don, have three children, Tyler, 19, Courtney, 16, and Preston, 14.

The last time Babb-Navarre was on the Cowley campus was the day she graduated in 1984.

“I told myself I would make it back, but life goes on and I just got so busy with work and kids,” Babb-Navarre said.

She remains close friends with her former roommate at Cowley, Tina Showalter, and also her former volleyball teammate Mary Rausch.

“I remember the great camaraderie and the closeness we felt,” Navarre said. “It felt like a close knit family at the school. The trips we went on as a team were so much fun. Playing sports was the only thing that brought me out of my shell.”

The induction ceremony will take place at halftime of the Cowley men’s basketball game vs. Allen County at 8 p.m. Feb. 11.