SEAN BOSTON
Hutch Post
NICKERSON, Kan. — When Trish Wade got the call, she didn’t know if she had another season in her.
After 17 years of building one of Kansas’ most consistent small-school volleyball powerhouses at St. John-Hudson, Wade was unexpectedly let go from the program she’d poured her heart and soul into. The separation came with little warning and plenty of emotion, a jarring end to a chapter defined by discipline, intensity and winning.
“I was still finishing the school year, still processing everything,” Wade said. “It was hard. I felt like I still had more to give, but I didn’t know what the next step would be.”
Then Nickerson High School Athletic Director Devin Maxwell came calling, and kept calling.
Nickerson-South Hutchinson USD 309 officially approved Wade’s hiring as the Panthers’ new head volleyball coach at its July board meeting earlier this week, welcoming in one of the state’s most decorated coaches and a fierce competitor known for turning potential into championships. She replaces Hannah Schrag.
“Coach Wade knows what it takes to compete at the highest level,” Maxwell said. “She’s dedicated to instilling that same drive and excellence in her athletes.”
That drive defined Wade’s 17-year run at St. John, where she compiled more than 420 career victories and guided the Tigers to three Class 1A state championships. Under her leadership, St. John claimed its first volleyball title in her first season in 2008 with a 43-2 record, then followed with back-to-back Class 1A Division I crowns in 2010 and 2011. Her teams advanced to the state semifinals 10 times, including a return trip last fall to the state tournament with a 29-15 finish.
Wade built more than a trophy case, she built belief.
“I’ve always been high energy,” she said. “I coach with passion, and I expect a lot. But what I’ve learned over the years is how important it is to build a culture, one where kids believe they can do hard things.”
Now she’s taking that mindset to Nickerson, where the Panthers are looking to bounce back after an 12-25 season in 2024. Wade believes they have the talent, and the hunger, to do just that.
“We’ve got good pieces,” Wade said. “Delaney Childs and Denae Engelland are two athletes who stand out. They’re leaders, and they’re coachable. The whole group has responded with a willingness to learn, and that’s where it all starts.”
Wade’s belief in hard work and hustle traces back to her own upbringing. A Haviland native and graduate of Haviland High School, she grew up in a tight-knit community where sports were a way of life and character mattered as much as talent.
She carried those values into her playing career, becoming a standout at Barton Community College, where she led the Cougars to a 111-10 record and two Top-4 NJCAA National Tournament finishes from 1985 to 1986. A two-time NJCAA All-American, she was inducted into Barton’s Sports Hall of Fame in 2011.
Wade then transferred to Florida Southern College, where she earned AVCA Second Team All-America honors in 1987 and was twice named First Team All-Sunshine State Conference. She still holds school records for solo blocks in a match (11), season (99) and career (182), and remains among the program’s all-time leaders in multiple statistical categories.
After college, Wade returned to Kansas and eventually began her coaching career with club teams in Wichita. But it wasn’t until she took the job at St. John that she truly found her calling.
“I walked into a good situation with great kids,” she said. “But we had to learn how to win, not just physically, but mentally. That’s what I love about coaching. Teaching that mindset. Helping athletes realize what they’re capable of.”
When Wade was released from her duties at St. John this spring, she initially considered stepping away from coaching altogether. But Maxwell’s persistence, and the support of her family, ultimately helped her say yes to one more chapter. Wade already has ties to Reno County, with family in Hutchinson, Pretty Prairie and just outside of Nickerson.
“I didn’t want to be done,” she said. "I'm a huge believer, and I do believe this is a God thing. I'm not saying he took my job away, but he made a way for me to continue coaching and doing what I love. I just didn’t want my story to end that way.”
Though the transition to the new group of players in Nickerson is ongoing, she’s already seeing buy-in from her new team.
“I told the girls, we’re not just going to lose anymore,” she said. “That kind of mindset doesn’t belong in our gym. If we’re going to change the culture, it starts with believing we can win again. I believe that you can build a program off of discipline, heart, hustle and the mindset of a competitor.”
Helping drive that transformation are two new assistant coaches. Her daughter, Teresa Rush, a former standout at St. John, where she was coached by her mom. She then went onto be a two-time NJCAA All-American at Hutchinson Community College and former member of the Kansas State volleyball support staff under longtime head coach Suzie Fritz, joins the bench with a decorated playing and coaching background. The other assistant, Allie Frederick, brings multi-sport athletic experience and the same competitive edge Wade demands.
“It was such an honor to coach Teresa while she was at St. John and now have her on my staff is a whole new privilege that I am extremely thankful for," Wade said. "Teresa said she’d do anything for me, and now here we are, coaching side by side. She’s young, smart, and has a great understanding of what it takes to compete at a high level. And Allie brings a ton of energy and drive. Our chemistry as a staff has been immediate, and that will show up in how we coach our kids.”
The new job also means stepping into one of the toughest leagues in Kansas, the Central Kansas League, home to the defending Class 3A state champions, Halstead. That program is led by Wade’s longtime friend and coaching peer, Diana Schutte, adding another layer of intensity and excitement to her new role.
“I sent Diana a message and said, ‘Girl, I get to see you more than once a year now!’” Wade said with a laugh. “I love coaching against her. The energy, the competitiveness, it just brings out the best in everyone. And being in a league like this? It forces you to get better every day.”
Wade isn’t promising state titles overnight. She’s promising effort, intensity, and steady growth, the kind of change that builds real foundations.
“This program used to be respected,” she said. “And there’s no reason it can’t be again. We’ve got the athletes, we’ve got the work ethic. Now it’s about building belief, day by day.”
That belief isn’t just about wins and losses, she said. It’s about buying into a new culture, one that values preparation, toughness and togetherness.
“If we get beat, we’ll know why, and we’ll fix it,” Wade said. “We’re going to be a team that competes every night, that never gives in, and that grows into something we can all be proud of.”
Beyond the court, Wade hopes to energize the community and re-establish Nickerson volleyball as a point of pride. She’s been blown away by the local support and says she’s “exactly where I’m supposed to be.”