Washburn and ESU volleyball coaches were friends long before in-state rivals

TOPEKA (KSNT) - Washburn and Emporia State's head volleyball coaches have a longstanding friendship that predates their current status as in-state rivals.

Chris Herron is entering his 23rd year coaching the Ichabods, while Ken Murczek is about to begin his second year coaching the Hornets. Long before Murczek made it to Emporia though, he was an assistant coach at KU from 2008-09, where the two crossed paths often.

"Coach [Murczek] and I used to do camps together when he was an assistant at KU," Herron said. "That was a long time ago, we've known each other for over 20 years now. A good man."

Both coaches got a taste of being on opposite sidelines in 2023's Turnpike Tussle games, but they met again in Saturday morning's scrimmage at Lee Arena. ESU and Washburn went through practice drills against each other, and scrimmage-style play against Benedictine and Park University.

Saturday brought a chance for both teams to get acquainted with one another before the season starts. Herron said he and Murczek talked on the phone several times ahead of getting to see 'what the MIAA talent looks like'.

"We're trying to do what he's done here," Murczek said of Herron. "You can just look at the wall and the success over 20 years that he's been here. He's established something he should be really proud of, and we're trying to catch that at Emporia State."

Both schools begin their 2024 campaigns in the Kansas City Classic on Sept. 5. Washburn is set to face University of Sioux Falls at 4 p.m. and ESU will play Rockhurst at 6:30 p.m.