Hall of Fame
As a true Title IX athlete, Abell McKemie received an inaugural women’s basketball scholarship at Eastern Kentucky in 1975, realizing her childhood dream. She also pursued volleyball as a new sport upon entering EKU, which led to two months of overlap back-to-back practicing, allowing her only enough time to change from volleyball to basketball shoes. During her junior year, she was advised to select one sport. She chose volleyball, receiving an inaugural women’s volleyball scholarship and continuing her outstanding four-year career. She was a two-year choice for all-state honors and Southern Region II Large College All-Region teams. She competed in three National Women’s Collegiate Volleyball Championships under the Association for Intercollegiate Athletics for Women. Serving as co-captain during her junior and senior years, Abell McKemie excelled as a competitor and leader. She was selected as volleyball “Sportswoman of the Year” for her junior and senior years, while pursuing her bachelor’s degree in accounting. In addition to EKU honors and becoming a CPA, she was three-time All-World and All-World Team of the 1970’s Decade for the U.S. Slow-Pitch Softball Association; KHSAA basketball all-state tournament team; Louisville Chamber of Commerce Female High School Athlete of the Year; and retirement of Seneca High School jersey No. 11, joining George and Wes Unseld as being the only basketball players in the history of Seneca to have their numbers retired. She is a 32-year board member for a financial institution, member of several civic organizations and has coached more than a thousand youth in baseball, softball, volleyball and basketball. Residing in Anchorage, Kentucky, she maintains a 200-acre farm in Spencer County.
