Kay Tranel Elskamp '95 was a two-sport star for Ripon College, excelling in both volleyball and women's basketball. A First Team All-Conference performer in both sports, Elskamp was the first All-American selection in the history of Ripon's women's basketball program, earning Honorable Mention honors as a senior. Inducted into Ripon's Athletics Hall of Fame in 2005, the first year she was eligible, Elskamp's name is still prominently displayed in both sports' career record books.

"Kay brought two great gifts to Ripon College," legendary Ripon volleyball and basketball coach Elaine Coll said. "She was not only a great athlete, as evidenced by her All-Conference and other awards, but she was also the type of leader who spread a winning attitude to her teammates and made her entire team stronger." 

A three-time All-Conference performer for Ripon's basketball team, including twice as a First Team selection, Eslkamp graduated as the program's career leader in points, rebounds, blocked shots, and steals. Twenty-six years after her graduation, she still ranks second in program history for career rebounds (767), while currently ranking fifth in scoring (1,257), sixth in steals (170), 10th in blocked shots (42), and fifth in double-doubles (16).

"Kay was Coach Julie Johnson's first-ever recruit. In high school, she was strictly a post player, but once she began her college career, she was capable of playing all five positions on the court for us," Coach Johnson's long-time assistant, Pat Gonyo said. "She could handle the ball very well, especially for a 'post player,' and had amazing leadership skills, while being a great competitor and very knowledgeable of the game."

A two-time Team Captain and twice voted the team's Most Valuable Player, Elskamp owns two of the top 10 single season averages in school history for both scoring and rebounding. She led the team in scoring every year except her freshman season (which saw her finish second), en route to averaging 14 points and 8.5 rebounds in 90 career games. During her final two seasons with the basketball team, Ripon finished with a combined 33-14 record, including 21-7 in the Midwest Conference. Elskamp led the team to a then-school record 20 wins during her senior season, which is still tied for the second-most wins in program history, and helped Ripon qualify for the MWC Tournament for the first time in program history.

"During that Tournament, one of our younger players made a stupid mistake and Coach Johnson called a timeout," Gonyo recalled. "Before that kid even got close to the bench, Kay put her arm around her all the way to the bench and told her, "If you ever do that again, you won't have to worry about Coach taking you out of the game."

Also one of Ripon's all-time volleyball greats, Elskamp was named First Team All-Conference in that sport as a junior in 1993, and was voted the team's Most Valuable Player the following season. She graduated with the most kills in program history and is one of only six Ripon players to record more than 1,000 career kills, currently ranking sixth in that category with 1,005. Elskamp showed her versatility during her junior season when she recorded 50 service aces, which was one shy of the single season school record and currently ranks sixth.

"I coached Kay in volleyball and I'm not surprised that she still ranks high in the statistic labeled "kills," Coll said. "When she was at the net, she hit the ball so hard that opposing blockers rarely had time to get in position, and if they did, they received what we then called 'a leather lunch' – a volleyball in the face. Kay gave out numerous such free lunches during her college career."

Originally from Dickeyville, Wis. and a product of Cuba City High School, Elskamp currently resides in Sherrill, Iowa and is an Executive Client Consultant at Cottingham & Butler in Dubuque, Iowa.


-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

CLICK HERE to view and read all of Ripon's archived '100 For 100' profiles, which will have each profile added to it once it is posted online.