Peppler, Mary Jo (1944–)

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Peppler, Mary Jo (1944–)

American volleyball player. Born Oct 17, 1944, in Rockford, IL; attended Los Angeles State College and Sul Ross State University, Alpine, Texas.

Recognized as one of the best woman volleyball players in the world (1970s), was also one of the most controversial; played with the women's national championship team, the Long Beach Shamrocks, while in high school; selected for US Olympic team (1964 and 1968) but quit the 1968 team, claiming disappointment with the coaching and quality of US athletes; with Marilyn McReavy, organized the E Pluribus Unum team of Houston, which won back-to-back national championships (1972 and 1973); seemingly destined for an Olympic bid (1976), was passed over as a player or a coach by the US Volleyball Association because "she couldn't be handled"; turned professional (1974), signing on as a player-coach with El Paso-Juarez Sols of the newly formed International Volleyball Association; won the 1st Women's Superstar Competition, against such athletes as Billy Jean King, Micki King, and Diane Hollum (1975).

See also Pat Jordan, Broken Patterns (Dodd, 1977).