Legacy of Excellence: Nearly 50 Years of Anoka High School Volleyball

The Origins of Anoka High School Volleyball

Anoka, Minnesota has a long and storied history with the sport of volleyball. Located just north of Minneapolis, Anoka first fielded a girls volleyball team at Anoka High School in the early 1970s. While records from those early years are spotty, the origins of Anoka volleyball seem to have grown out of physical education classes where volleyball was one of the sports taught to female students.

The Early Years

As an officially sanctioned school sport, Anoka volleyball dates back to at least 1974 when the Tornadoes competed in the Northern Lakes Conference. Rosters from those first seasons show small teams of determined young women seeking to establish the beginnings of a program.

Initially playing in places like the old Tornado Fieldhouse, the Anoka girls had to share practice time with several other teams and sports. The gym’s worn wooden floor and errant tennis balls flying from adjacent courts added character to those early workouts and contests.

Maturing Into Consistency

Over the next decade, Anoka volleyball slowly gained traction and respect around the metro area. By the mid-1980s Anoka had grown into one of the most consistent winners in their conference.

Behind coaches like Jan Galligan, the Tornadoes regularly recorded winning seasons and became one of the top teams in the section playoffs. Though unable to capture that elusive section title, Anoka established themselves as a program on the rise with sights set firmly on bigger goals.

The Golden Age - 1990s Successes

The early 1990s ushered in an era of excellence that would see the Anoka volleyball program cement their status as perennial contenders.

Taking the Next Step

In the fall of 1990, the Tornadoes finally broke through. Sweeping the Northern Lakes Conference with a perfect 10-0 record, the team rode that momentum to playoff wins over Totino-Grace and Spring Lake Park to claim their first-ever Section 5-3A championship.

With the section title came Anoka’s long-awaited debut at the prestigious Minnesota State High School Volleyball Tournament. Though they fell in the opening round, the Tornadoes had signaled the coming rise of the program.

Established Excellence

On the heels of their 1990 breakthrough, Anoka demonstrated over the first half of the decade this was no fluke. Between 1992 and 1995 the Tornadoes won four more section championships, qualifying for three additional state tournament appearances.

Anoka established themselves as a regular contender in Section 5-3A while quickly turning into a feeder program for several local colleges and universities.

Carrying the Torch - 21st Century Success

Even after graduating several top talents in the late 1990s, the winning tradition carried on at Anoka. The 21st century debuted with Anoka volleyball hardly missing a beat.

Early Millennium Magic

Head coach Jay Dennis took the helm in 2000 and kept the success coming. His first state tournament trip came just two seasons later in the fall of 2002 as the Tornadoes continued racking up conference and section titles.

That season also bore witness to the growth of the sport as the Minnesota State High School League expanded from two divisions to three. This allowed smaller schools their own tournament while programs like Anoka joined the new Class 3A field.

Modern Prominence

Anoka has remained a consistent top-tier program ever since that 2002 state trip. Tornado teams in 2009 and 2012 added two more State Tournament berths to further bolster the schools volleyball resume.

Today Anoka High School volleyball is regarded as one of the premier programs not just in the Northern suburbs but across Minnesota. Nearly 50 years since those humble origins, each new squad inherits the weight of expectations that comes with wearing the Tornadoes jersey.

Yet season after season, the Anoka girls continue proving themselves more than worthy successors capable of adding their own chapter to this storied legacy.

FAQs

When did Anoka volleyball first become a sanctioned high school sport?

Anoka fielded its first girls volleyball team in 1974 when volleyball was officially recognized as a high school sport by the Minnesota State High School League.

How many state tournament appearances does the Anoka volleyball program have?

As of 2023, the Anoka volleyball program has qualified for the Minnesota State High School Volleyball Tournament 5 times - in 1990, 1992, 1993, 1995, and 2002.

What conference does the Anoka volleyball team compete in?

Anoka High School volleyball competes in the Northern Lakes Conference, which consists of suburban schools from the northern Twin Cities metro area.