Karen (Goff) Downs

Karen (Goff) Downs, born on Nov. 17, 1972 in Tacoma, made her initial mark on the Pierce County sports scene as a three-sport standout from 1988-91 at Puyallup High School. She played three seasons of varsity volleyball and basketball and two years of varsity softball, earning her the school’s Silver Award for winning eight varsity letters. During her senior season at PHS, she led the Vikings to a third-place finish at the state tournament while earning South Puget Sound League co-MVP honors. Karen received several other honors that season, including Bethel Tournament MVP, WSVCA/Mizuno All-State Team and Puyallup High School Athlete of the Year.

During the four years that Karen played at Montana, the Grizzlies compiled an 89-34 record, won three Big Sky championships and made two NCAA tournament appearances. Goff-Downs was a senior when Montana won for the only time (versus Arkansas State) in the NCAA postseason.

Goff-Downs earned Big Sky Conference first team honors in 1992, 1993 and again in 1994 and was a Big Sky Conference all-tournament selection in 1993 and 1994. She also received player of the week recognition four times and was selected to nine all-tournament teams, including two Big Sky tournaments, during her career. The American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) named her second team All-Northwest Region honors in 1992 and AVCA first team in 1993 and 1994.

She holds a number of University of Montana volleyball records: single-match hitting percentage (.826) and total blocks (16); season kills (490) and total blocks (184); and career attack percentage (.294). She also ranks second in career blocks (530), fifth in kills (1,255) and eighth in digs. She ranks eighth in Big Sky Conference history with her career block total. She graduated from Montana in 1996 with a degree in sociology.