North Central College Athletics

The early- to mid-1980s was a golden era in women's athletics at North Central College. Pam Mehrens, along with Inaugural Hall of Fame Class members Dawn Schabacker '83, Kim Wallner '84 and Brenda Sanders '83, was one of the superb athletes who brought unparalleled success and recognition to the College. 

In volleyball, Mehrens was a two-time most valuable player in the Illinois Association for Intercollegiate Athletics for Women (IAIAW) Division III tournament. Her teams advanced to the IAIAW quarterfinals in her sophomore year and to the finals when she was a junior. As a shortstop in softball, Mehrens was also a two-time MVP in the IAIAW tournament. At the national level, she garnered AIAW National All-Tournament Team honors after the Cardinals went 31-6 and placed third in the nation in 1981. Her sophomore year, the team was 13-13 and fifth in the nation. Mehrens owns several career records, including all-time home run leader (13) and single-season batting average (.463 set in 1981). She's also second on the single-season list for home runs (seven in 1980) and fifth on the single-season list for stolen bases (12 in 1982).

After graduating in 1982 with a degree in health and physical education, Mehrens taught high school in Glendale, Wis., for two years. She then attended graduate school at North Dakota State University where she was the graduate assistant for volleyball as well as the head softball coach. After receiving her master's degree in education, Mehrens spent one year as an assistant volleyball coach at Northern Illinois University before heading east to Elizabethtown College (Pa.). She taught health and physical education at Elizabethtown while also serving as the head volleyball and softball coach (1988-93); the softball team was nationally ranked in each of her final three seasons.