Janice Ninemire played volleyball at Iowa State from 1987-90. She ranks sixth in all-time ISU career aces (122), 14th in matches played (120), 18th in digs (1,001) and 25th in kills (833). Her daughter, Rachel Van Gorp, plays libero at ISU.
For some reason on that evening in August, 2015, Rachel Van Gorp didn’t want to let her mom out of her sight. It was inevitable, though. Janice, a teacher and volleyball coach at Heritage Christian Academy, had to leave the house for back-to-school conferences.
Janice Van Gorp coached Heritage Christian Academy to a 2016 State Championship.
Courtesy Mark Van Gorp
The Van Gorp family. Andrew, Mark , Janice and Rachel. Janice Van Gorp died in 2015 from a brain aneurysm.
Courtesy Mark Van Gorp
Janice Ninemire played volleyball at Iowa State from 1987-90. She ranks sixth in all-time ISU career aces (122), 14th in matches played (120), 18th in digs (1,001) and 25th in kills (833). Her daughter, Rachel Van Gorp, plays libero at ISU.
Courtesy ISU Athletics
Janice Ninemire played volleyball at Iowa State from 1987-90. She ranks sixth in all-time ISU career aces (122), 14th in matches played (120), 18th in digs (1,001) and 25th in kills (833). Her daughter, Rachel Van Gorp, plays libero at ISU.
Courtesy ISU Athletics
Last year, ISU libero Rachel Van Gorp became the first underclassmen in school history to be placed as high as second team All-American.
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Rachel Van Gorp, a junior libero at Iowa State, wanted to be a Cyclone to follow the legacy of her late mom, Janice.
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Junior Cyclone libero Rachel Van Gorp was the 2025 AVCA National Libero of the Year.
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Ben Hutchens is an Iowa State University beat writer for the Lee Enterprises network. Follow him on X or send him an email at Ben.Hutchens@lee.net.
Janice Ninemire played volleyball at Iowa State from 1987-90. She ranks sixth in all-time ISU career aces (122), 14th in matches played (120), 18th in digs (1,001) and 25th in kills (833). Her daughter, Rachel Van Gorp, plays libero at ISU.
Janice Ninemire played volleyball at Iowa State from 1987-90. She ranks sixth in all-time ISU career aces (122), 14th in matches played (120), 18th in digs (1,001) and 25th in kills (833). Her daughter, Rachel Van Gorp, plays libero at ISU.
Janice Ninemire played volleyball at Iowa State from 1987-90. She ranks sixth in all-time ISU career aces (122), 14th in matches played (120), 18th in digs (1,001) and 25th in kills (833). Her daughter, Rachel Van Gorp, plays libero at ISU.
