An 18-10 record, a second place finish in the first Mary Washington College Invitational Tournament, a 6-0 beginning to the season, and a 5-0 ending to the 1982 campaign highlighted the 1982 edition of Mary Washington College volleyball. "We were very close to being a very good team," Coach Connie Gallahan said. "We had our lapses and injuries but we had a good year. I was pleased with the progress we made and with the way we played."

"Good years" are nothing new to MWC Blue Tide volleyball. Gallahan surpassed the 100 victory mark in leading her sixth MWC team to its fifth winning season in those six years. Indicative of the Tide's proximity to dominance was the outcome of Mary Washington's two games against nationally ranked teams. Versus both Western Maryland College and the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, two highly ranked teams and NCAA national tournament participants, Mary Washington lost, but only after forcing the match to three games.

Leading the Blue Tide to their impressive finish were senior co-captains Anne Means (Salem, VA) and Karen Stephenson (Altavista, VA). Both four year starters, the pair played vital roles defensively and especially offensively from their spiker positions. Stephenson completed her career as a dynamic server and an intelligent spiker. Means garnered awards throughout her career. As a freshman, Anne won All Region 2 honors, as a sophomore, she was an All Virginia spiker. As a junior she was the most valuable player in the Longwood College Invitational and, as a senior, she capped her career with All Tournament selection in the first Mary Washington College Invitational.

Unfortunately, Means ended her career on the injury list. A severe leg bruise kept her out of the season's final ten matches. MWC's round robin tournament gave sophomore setter Paige Wohlgemuth (Setauket, NY) an opportunity for honors as well. Like Means, she won an All Tournament award in the event, scheduled in connection with MWC's Family Weekend. Returning along with Wohlgemuth to the 1983 squad are another setter, Jeanne Corn (Ferrum, VA), and spikers Stephanie Poh (Richmond, VA), Annemarie Bischof (Williamsburg, VA), and Kara Chaconas (Fairfax, VA), all 1982 starters. The only starting freshman, Bischof ably replaced Means in the starting lineup and gained valuable experience for the years to come.