The RoundHouse | 11/10/2023 11:02:00 PM

By Paul Suellentrop
 
What Chris Lamb wants people to know about win No. 500 at Wichita State is that running a program the right way delayed that milestone. He is proud of that process, one that built Shocker volleyball into something no one could imagine and influenced many lives.
 
"I feel so honored and proud to be a part of that journey with him," said Sophia Rohling, a senior opposite. "The way he cares for his players and wants to develop them into something more, it means everything. It's what makes him a great coach."
 
On Friday, Lamb got win No. 500 when the Shockers defeated UTSA 3-1 (25-23, 21-25, 25-18, 25-18) at Koch Arena. He is 500-235 in 24 seasons at Wichita State, a tenure highlighted by 11 NCAA appearances, seven conference titles and hundreds of athletes who regard Lamb and his current and former assistant coaches – including wife Shannon – as family.
 
"To have them all here, 500 in one spot, for me that's kind of cool," Lamb said. "I never said I want eight of these jobs. I feel like that right now. I've got my job. This is my job."
 
After the win, the team celebrated with confetti, balloons, and black T-shirts with Lamb's picture. The scoreboard played tribute videos from former Shockers such as Emily Stockman, Emily Hiebert and Kelly Broussard. Lamb autographed a fan's T-shirt.
 
"I get that there are things that draw people to jobs," he said. "But you've still got to get out of bed every morning and train players, solve puzzles. I don't need to be 30 different places to do that."
 
 

Goodnight, Shocker Nation 💛 pic.twitter.com/V3YbLWJbPF

— Wichita State Volleyball (@GoShockersVB) November 11, 2023

The puzzle work is what captivates Lamb. His experimenting, wacky drills, baseball analogies and devotion to the gym ultimately capture his athletes, as well. He allowed Rohling to develop her passing and digging so she can play six rotations. He is famous for using the middles more than most coaches and in inventive ways.
 
"I don't think I turn out to be the player I am without him," Rohling said. "He's believed in me. Knowing you can be something more and do something more."
 
Junior Natalie Foster is the latest in a long line of middles who benefit from Lamb's willingness to highlight that spot and scheme ways to score.
 
"The mad scientist," Foster said. "Not many coaches are open to running the middles as much as Lambo and this program does."
 
Lamb, hired on Jan. 18, 2000, by former athletic director Jim Schaus, regards scheduling as a critical piece of the puzzle. He built the program, attracted fans, and rose in the RPI by playing the likes of Nebraska, Texas, Stanford and Hawaii. He brought many of those elite teams to Wichita, part of his goal to promote the sport. Stacking up wins against inferior opponents made no mathematical sense and didn't offer a challenge, so he took the tougher road.
 
"We went after it, and that's what I would want if I was playing," he said. "It's never been about this volume. It's been trying to have great schedules."
 
Friday's win featured some vintage Lamb tinkering. Tied 1-all, he inserted junior left Morgan Weber for the first time. Her passing and digging got the Shockers organized and comfortable in the back row and they never trailed while winning the final two sets.
 
"She brings hard work and a constant drive that keeps people going," Rohling said. "We trust her. She will go all out all the time."
 
Weber missed practice this week with illness and other Shockers (18-7, 12-3 American Athletic Conference) offer more offensive punch. But Lamb sacrificed that scoring because he figured Weber could help cool off the Roadrunners (15-12, 8-8) attack. UTSA hit .256 and .250 in the first two sets before dropping to .143 and .056.
 
"Weber put a lot of effort out there and I think she helped us turned it," Lamb said.
 
Rohling led the Shockers with 17 kills and hit .417. Foster added 14 kills and three blocks. Katie Galligan recorded 18 digs.
 
 

In her 💼

Seven kills in the fourth set from @RohlingSophia to seal the deal. pic.twitter.com/e7FBirpJ6N

— Wichita State Volleyball (@GoShockersVB) November 11, 2023

 
 
Paul Suellentrop writes about Wichita State athletics for university Strategic Communications. Story suggestion? Contact him at paul.suellentrop@wichita.edu.