LeAnn Martens-Francis was a three-sport athlete at Missouri Western whose softball career culminated with All-CSIC honors (1984 & 1985) and was a participant on the 1982 NAIA National Championship team. She is second in the record books with 40 career sacrifices.

Her volleyball career culminated with a second team NAIA All-American selection in 1985. She finished with 491 kills and a career-high 278 blocks. She also received first team District 16 and All-CSIC honors her junior and senior seasons. She also had a career-high 525 kills in 1984. She currently sits in third on the Griffons’ all-time kills list, totaling 1,521 and also tallied 839 career blocks in her four years at Western.

Martens-Francis worked in the Missouri Department of Transportation Regional Counsel’s Office where she held the position of supervisor for the district office services before leaving this earth after a long, hard fought battle with cancer.

Please join us on Saturday, September 28th in between Griffon Softball games to honor LeAnn and dedicate a plaque in her name next to the 1982 National Championship plaque at the Spring Sports Complex on MWSU’s campus. Her legacy will forever live in Griffon Athletics and we would love to have fellow alumni join us for this event.

Also, the weekend of September 28th is Hall Of Fame weekend for Missouri Western Athletics. There is a breakfast at 9:00 am on campus for this years ceremony of inductees. At 6:00 pm, our Football team plays Fort Hays State University.

— MWSU Sports Information —