The Warhawk volleyball team and University of Wisconsin-Whitewater honored former Warhawk Lisa Panici with the dedication of the newly renovated Lisa Panici Locker Room Friday evening. A crowd of fans and supporters joined UW-Whitewater in the dedication ceremony in Kris Russell Volleyball Arena before UW-W took on the Bears of Washington-St. Louis. 

Photo Gallery courtesy of Alex Saager

Chancellor Telfer along with Athletic Director Amy Edmonds, UW-W volleyball coaches Stacy Boudreau, Ben Staupe and Sofia Sanchez and senior Ariel Johnston (Rockford, IL/Guilford) joined Lisa's family on the court as UW-W retired jersey #12 in her honor. A framed jersey was gifted to Lisa's family at the ceremony. The locker room also received a facelift over the course of the week with a wallpaper collage in her memory, two framed #12 jerseys now hang in the team's locker room, new paint coats the walls to accentuate added decals and a black and silver plaque proudly displays a picture of Lisa and her story outside of the locker room door that will keep Lisa's spirit and memory alive on campus for years to come. 

Members of the Warhawk volleyball team decorated posters displaying the number 12 that hung in the entryway to the volleyball arena. Fans were able to vote for their favorite '12 poster' by donating. T-shirts were available throughout the event for fans and supporters to purchase with all proceeds from poster donations and t-shirt sales going to the Lisa Panici Scholarship Fund. 

Lisa came to the UW-Whitewater campus as a freshman in the fall of 2010. She had an immediate presence on the team with her six foot athletic frame and contagious smile. She was viewed as the hardest worker on the team for the four months of the season and was quoted multiple times saying, "I love to sweat". This phrase would become the team's motto during the next season.

After her first semester as a Warhawk, Lisa was diagnosed with stage four brain cancer. In the months to follow, Lisa's drive and competitive nature helped her through brain surgery, several rounds of chemotherapy and physical therapy to learn to walk and use her left arm again. 

She returned to campus for a benefit volleyball game in her honor of April of 2011. When her name was announced she stood up, unassisted with a beaming smile that lit up the gym. A packed Kris Russell Volleyball Arena gave Lisa a two-minute, nonstop standing ovation.

For the next year and a half, Lisa would surmount all odds fighting the deadly disease. She became the team's motivation and inspiration for the 2011 season. Even though she was unable to attend every contest she continued to inspire the team to play with heart and never give up. The Warhawks placed Lisa's jersey on the bench for every match and when UW-W won the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference title that year, it was Lisa's jersey that was lifted with the trophy and banner. 

Lisa sadly lost her long battle with cancer in December but her strength, courage, spirit and smile will continue to live on and have a lasting impact on the UW-Whitewater volleyball program for years to come with this dedication. "The naming of the locker room in honor of Lisa Panici is a tribute to a wonderful young woman," said Coach Boudreau. "When new freshman walk through the doors of the Lisa Panici Locker Room, they will be proud to be a Warhawk."




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