Former St. Henry volleyball coach De De Stoner is headed to the Ohio Sports Hall of Fame after a coaching career that helped establish one of the most successful volleyball programs in the state.

Stoner will be inducted on October 17.

She coached at St. Henry for 20 seasons and finished her career with a 440 and 61 record. During that stretch, St. Henry won 15 Midwest Athletic Conference championships, 16 sectional titles, 13 district championships, seven regional championships and five state championships.

Stoner spoke with WCSM Friday about the honor and said the recognition has brought back a flood of memories from her years at St. Henry.

She said it is difficult to single out one moment or one team because so many people played a role in what the program became.

“St. Henry was just perfect,” Stoner said. “We just fit together great and it worked so good.”

Stoner said the Hall of Fame honor is something she views as belonging not only to her, but also to the players, coaches and entire St. Henry community that helped build the program.

She said looking back on everything that happened during those 20 seasons can still be overwhelming.

“I couldn’t have done it without St. Henry,” Stoner said.

Stoner also revealed that she actually learned about the Hall of Fame honor more than a year ago. At first, she was not convinced the notification was legitimate.

She told WCSM she initially thought the message could be some type of scam asking her to purchase something. After learning the honor was real, she was told she would be inducted at the organization’s next banquet.

During her conversation with WCSM, Stoner also reflected on the philosophy she tried to instill in her teams.

She said practices were designed around preparing to win and teaching players that even small details could make the difference in a match.

Stoner said she wanted athletes to practice with the same effort and intensity they would bring into competition.

Her message to players was simple. Give everything you have, focus on the little things and never assume the other team has something you do not.

Stoner also reflected on what it meant to coach during a time when girls athletics were still developing.

She said St. Henry was a special place because athletics mattered throughout the school and coaches supported each other.

“St. Henry was a wonderful place for me to come and I came at the right time,” Stoner said.

She said the community support, players and fellow coaches all played a role in making her years at St. Henry such an important part of her life.

Stoner will officially be inducted into the Ohio Sports Hall of Fame on October 17.