Molly LaMere met with the Lawrence High volleyball team and school administrators Tuesday to inform them she had accepted the head coaching job with Blue Valley Northwest High School.

“It was really hard,” LaMere said. “I’ve just had a wonderful first experience, coaching my own program.”

LaMere, who guided LHS four years, was planning on moving to the Kansas City area before she landed the Blue Valley job.

“I was relocating out that way anyway,” she said. “It just happened a little bit sooner than I thought.”

Former Kansas University and Northwest volleyball coach Jan Madlock notified LaMere, a former Madlock recruit who starred at KU from 1998 to 2001, of the new position.

While excited about the opportunity, LaMere called the move “bittersweet.” She enjoyed her time at LHS, noting how much she liked molding her student-athletes.

“Getting to know the girls … and seeing how much they have grown,” she said. “Those will definitely be things I miss.”

Another highlight occurred during the fall season. Her 13-26 squad rebounded from a rocky beginning to advance to the Class 6A state tournament.

“Things got off to not a great start this year and she was able to do some things to get the team all the way to state,” LHS athletic director Ron Commons said. “That speaks highly of how organized she was and how hard the kids worked.”

LaMere said she hopes to steer Northwest toward similar postseason accolades.

“I want to see this program continue to build and improve and become successful,” LaMere said. “You’ve got to hold those girls up to high expectations.”