Southern Arkansas University Athletics

Shirley Earley played volleyball at Southern Arkansas during the early 1980s under 2008 SAU Hall of Fame inductee, Dr. Ginger Hurst.
 
Earley, a native of Magnolia, was an outside and middle hitter for the Lady Muleriders and is credited with playing an integral role in developing the winning tradition that became SAU volleyball under Dr. Hurst through the 1980s.
 
A three-time All-Arkansas Women’s Intercollegiate Sports Association (AWSIA) honoree, Earley also was named as an All-District 17 player in her senior season of 1982. That year was also the best in terms of team accomplishments during Earley’s playing days as the Lady Muleriders went unblemished in AWISA play (14-0) to capture the program’s first championship.
 
Following a 19-4 regular season, Earley and the Lady Muleriders captured the District 17 Championship and advanced to the Bi-District playoff for a chance at making it to the NAIA National Tournament after beating John Brown University and Henderson State. SAU fell to Missouri Western in that Bi-District playoff, but the groundwork that was helped in laying down by Earley was set for the coming years of SAU volleyball.
 
Following her volleyball playing days, Earley became an academic administrator and is currently serving as the Director of Administrative Services for the Raytown School District in Raytown, Mo., a suburb of Kansas City, Mo. Earley has been in that position since 1990.