AN ELITE MULTI-SPORT ATHLETE, A CHAMPIONSHIP-LEVEL COACH, AN EDUCATOR, AND A MENTOR TO HUNDREDS OF YOUNG ATHLETES- KATIE MCFARLAND LOYER.

FROM 1986 TO 1990, KATIE AUTHORED ONE OF THE MOST ACCOMPLISHED ATHLETIC CAREERS IN MCCUTCHEON HISTORY, EARNING AN INCREDIBLE 12 VARSITY LETTERS ACROSS MULTIPLE SPORTS. SHE WAS A STANDOUT COMPETITOR WHEREVER SHE PLAYED. 

AS A FOUR-YEAR VARSITY VOLLEYBALL PLAYER, KATIE HELPED LEAD MCCUTCHEON TO EXTRAORDINARY POST-SEASON SUCCESS, INCLUDING A SEMI-STATE APPEARANCE, TWO STATE FINALIST FINISHES, AND A STATE RUNNER-UP FINISH. A TWO-TIME TEAM CAPTAIN, SHE EARNED THE MENTAL ATTITUDE AWARD, MOST VALUABLE PLAYER HONORS, AND RECOGNITION AS ALL-CONFERENCE, ALL-DISTRICT, AND FIRST TEAM ALL-STATE.

KATIE WAS EQUALLY IMPACTFUL IN OTHER SPORTS. SHE EARNED FOUR VARSITY LETTERS IN BASKETBALL, HELPING THE MAVERICKS WIN A SECTIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP AND REACH THE REGIONAL FINALS, WHILE EARNING TEAM AWARDS FOR MOST IMPROVED PLAYER, MOST VALUABLE PLAYER, AND MENTAL ATTITUDE, ALONG WITH ALL-CONFERENCE AND ALL-DISTRICT RECOGNITION. SHE ALSO COMPETED IN SOFTBALL, TENNIS, AND EVEN SERVED AS A VARSITY BASEBALL MANAGER, NOW THAT’S TRUE VERSATILITY AND COMMITMENT TO MCCUTCHEON ATHLETICS.

KATIE’S SUCCESS CONTINUED AT THE COLLEGIATE LEVEL, WHERE SHE EARNED VOLLEYBALL SCHOLARSHIPS TO BOTH THE UNIVERSITY OF MEMPHIS AND INDIANA UNIVERSITY, GRADUATING FROM IU IN 1995 WITH A BACHELOR OF SCIENCE IN ELEMENTARY EDUCATION. HER TRANSITION FROM ELITE ATHLETE TO ELITE COACH WAS SEAMLESS. SHE SERVED AS AN ASSISTANT AND INTERIM HEAD COACH AT THE UNIVERSITY OF CINCINNATI, LEADING THE BEARCATS TO A 25–10 SEASON, BEFORE BECOMING HEAD VOLLEYBALL COACH AT THE UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN INDIANA, WHERE SHE GUIDED THE PROGRAM TO THE BEST RECORD IN SCHOOL HISTORY, A CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIP, AND EARNED COACH OF THE YEAR HONORS.

KATIE ALSO COACHED AND TAUGHT AT THE HIGH SCHOOL LEVEL, EARNING TEACHER OF THE YEAR HONORS, AND LATER SERVED AS AN ASSISTANT COACH AND RECRUITING COORDINATOR AT PURDUE UNIVERSITY. 

IN RECENT YEARS, KATIE’S PASSION FOR MENTORING YOUNG ATHLETES HAS CONTINUED AS CO-DIRECTOR AND COACH AT SUMMIT VOLLEYBALL CLUB, HELPING TRAIN AND MENTOR MORE THAN 200 ATHLETES ANNUALLY, ALONGSIDE HER SISTER AND FELLOW MCCUTCHEON ALUMNA, ENSURING THE MAVERICK LEGACY CONTINUES FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS.

KATIE MCFARLAND LOYER REPRESENTS WHAT IT MEANS TO BE A MCCUTCHEON MAVERICK—EXCELLENCE IN COMPETITION, LEADERSHIP THROUGH SERVICE, AND GRATITUDE FOR THE COACHES AND TEACHERS WHO MAKE A LASTING DIFFERENCE. HER LIFE IN ATHLETICS HAS COME FULL CIRCLE, AS SHE NOW PROUDLY SUPPORTS HER OWN CHILDREN, ALL DIVISION I ATHLETES, EACH CARRYING FORWARD THE VALUES FIRST INSTILLED AT MCCUTCHEON HIGH SCHOOL.