Roxanne Keating-Malinski
Roxanne Keating-Malinski was a member of Coach Lynn Bedford’s volleyball teams and also participated in Track & Field. A graduate of Cortez High School in Phoenix, Roxanne got her AA degree from MCC and received the Outstanding Minority Student Award in 1980. She later attended the University of Arizona and graduated from Phoenix College Nursing School.
In high school, Roxanne was a member of the USA Junior International Team in Track & Field. She also held the state record in the long jump with a distance of 20’ 4 ½”. Additionally, she was a member of the National Sports Festival West Team, placing 2nd in the long jump. In volleyball, Roxanne was the Cortez High School MVP, 1st Team All-Division, and a member of the North All-Star Team.
Roxanne was a member of the National 2nd- Place Track & Field Team from 1980 at Mesa Community College. That same year she also took 2nd in the 400m-relay and 5th in the 200m-dash. A 1st-Team All-American in both 1980 and 1981 in Track, Roxanne won the Heptathlon in 1981 with a total of 5,113 points, a record at the time. Ag
ain in 1981, she took 4th in the Long Jump as she captained the track team.
Roxanne’s 1979 and 1980 volleyball teams took 2nd at Nationals. In 1980, she was named 2nd-Team All-Conference. In 1981, Roxanne was named Outstanding Sophomore Athlete and MVP Track Athlete.
Her fondest memories are of Coach Bedford and his quiet leadership, of Coach Kaye and her warmth and caring nature, and of Coach Linda and her ability to motivate. Her volleyball teammates Becky Trimble and Sue Gilley, along with Roxanne would travel from West Phoenix all the way to MCC. Also, track teammates Denise Gowdy and Connie Jackson were part of the 400 meter team that brought so many good times.
Long before I-pods and DVD players, Roxanne remembers really getting to know her teammates on those long road trips to Safford, Douglas, Prescott, and Yuma. The 1980 NJCAA National Tournament was a highlight as many family members went along to Florida for the trip.