Chance Re-Union

Lauren Ruther had only a vague recollection of her brief relationship with Christy Mooberry when she received, and accepted, a Facebook friend request from Mooberry.

Then known by her maiden name, Christy Simmons, Mooberry was a counselor at a camp Ruther attended at the age of 9. Both attended Minooka Community High School, but they graduated 10 years apart. Ruther knew Mooberry had become a volleyball coach — which was of interest to her, since she was a volleyball captain at MCHS — but the two did not stay in contact over the years.

Some time after their initial reconnection, Mooberry contacted Ruther again — and for reasons more substantial than to be friends on Facebook. Mooberry was then the head women's volleyball coach at Montreat (N.C.) College, and she wondered if Ruther had interest in joining her staff.

"(Mooberry) had sent me something saying that there was a position open, she had been praying about it and that (my) name had come to mind," Ruther said. "We had been friends on Facebook for a little while before that, but it was very out of the blue."

A 2011 graduate of Spring Arbor (Mich.) University with a bachelor's degree in language arts and elementary education, Ruther spent last year as a junior kindergarten teacher in Michigan. She says she had some interest in coaching when she planned her career, though she always expected it would be at the high-school level. Still, she strongly considered Mooberry's offer.

Then the offer became invalid. Mooberry left Montreat and was hired as head volleyball coach at Union University in Jackson, Tenn. in April. Jackson is almost 450 miles from Montreat, and while Mooberry was still interested in having Ruther join her fledgling staff, she thought the move might discourage Ruther. Instead, Ruther agreed to come to Jackson, and Union announced her hiring as a full-time assistant on July 20.

"I got this job, and we basically stayed in contact throughout the process," Mooberry said. "I was wondering about the location and how that would work for her, and she actually said she would prefer to go wherever I would go. In the end, it worked out well."

Mooberry says her interest in Ruther was well founded. She has known Ruther's family for "a really long time", and that she was aware of the strong reputation Ruther had built with some club volleyball programs over the years.

"I certainly kept an eye on her Facebook page, I feel like you can get a decent feel for someones character, etc., who is active on there," Mooberry said. "I also know the clubs she played for and that she has a solid volleyball background. My biggest concern was character and trust ... and I believe Lauren has outstanding character and that I can trust her."

Whereas Ruther's entry into the coaching ranks was unplanned and largely unexpected, Mooberry's was a long time in the making. She first gave strong consideration to the career while attending MCHS, where she was a standout outside hitter on the volleyball team. She remembers Mike Briscoe, then the school's football coach, being a particular source of encouragement for her.

After graduating from MCHS in 1997, Mooberry continued her volleyball playing career at the University of St. Francis in Joliet. She later transferred to the Moody Bible Institute, where she was a two-time first-team National Christian College Athletic Association All-American and from which she graduated in 2001 with a bachelor's degree in sports ministry. Like Union, Moody is a private Christian institution.

"I wouldn't trade that experience for anything," Mooberry said of attending a private Christian college.

Mooberry's first coaching job was as an assistant at Wilson (N.Y.) High School. She spent one season there prior to being hired as head coach at Newfane (N.Y.) High School.

"It was kind of random. Someone walked up to me at my church and asked, 'Do you, by chance, play volleyball?' They needed an assistant coach. I was like, 'OK.' It was a great opportunity for me to get my foot in the door," Mooberry said.

"The next year, the head position in the town we were living in opened up, and I went for it and got it. It was good. It was tough, too. I was like 21 at the time. Some of the parents were brutal, as some parents always are. But yeah, it was good experience for me. It opened the doors for me to be able to coach in college."

Newfane went 1-14 in Mooberry's first season before compiling a 92-12 record during the next five seasons. That success helped her land at Montreat, an NAIA school, where the Cavaliers won a program-best 28 matches in 2010. She opted to leave for Union this year because of Union's reputation and the desire of both her and husband Scott, who also works at the school, for "something a little more stable."

Ruther will jump right into coaching at the NCAA Division II level, which Union is transitioning to after being an NAIA member until 2011.

"It was kind of a shock, but at the same time, it's really neat. I knew I wanted to (coach) but I didn't know it would possible to start out at this level." Ruther said.

"It was a very big step. I don't necessarily feel anxiety about it, it's more of just excitement. I feel very comfortable about it, simply because Christine is the head coach and I feel comfortable with her. I feel God wants me to do this, and that makes it a lot easier and brings me peace."

Mooberry does not expect Ruther to have trouble succeeding in her new job.

"She has really strong character and a great personality, and will be a great fit," Mooberry said of Ruther. "She is someone I trust with being able to put recruits in her hands."

Ruther expects her duties to include some recruiting, but also to be heavy in areas like mission trips, Bible studies and community outreach.