Do you ever wonder whatever happened to your favorite local athlete from years past? Those whose names graced the sports pages almost regularly?
This new Advertiser feature will find and report on whatever happened to these familiar names of yesteryear.

It was 20 years ago that Suzanne Eagye helped lead the University of Hawai'i Rainbow Wahine to their fourth and last national volleyball championship in December 1987.

Now Suzanne Cox, the two-time AVCA Division I All-American lives with her husband of 18 years, Tim Cox, and four children, ages 3 to 16, on 60 acres of wooded "ridge-top Tennessee land" near Nashville, called Sunset Ridge Farm.

Cox hasn't played serious volleyball since a professional season in Switzerland in 1989.

"My shoulder hardly gives me anything any more," says Cox, whose 20-year-old school records for career blocks still stand.

Cox coached at small high schools in recent years, but says her "energy is used in so many other directions" now that the only volleyball she finds time for are a couple of clinics that local schools asked her to do. She home-schools her children and none of them play the game.

She says the sport has made gains in respect and interest in Tennessee the past 10 years. "The club program has picked up and UT (University of Tennessee) made it to the Final Four two years ago."

"I feel fortunate to be here in Tennessee and have the fun of exploring a whole new set of challenges, different from my 'first life' as an athlete, but just as demanding," she said. "Life is an adventure!"

Cox's husband was a military kid who lived in Hawai'i part of his childhood and shares Suzanne's passion for the islands. His work, producing Christian videos, brings him to Hawai'i about every two years, most recently on O'ahu and Kaua'i several months ago.

Of her children — Caleb (16), Lauren (13), Keenan (9) and Levi (3) — Cox said, "Caleb has a natural talent for volleyball, but there is no opportunity for guys to play here yet. Lauren has done many clinics with me and so has been around the game and trained with me. Currently there just aren't any great opportunities to play for her, either."

Cox said she wishes she could coach more but just doesn't have the time.

"The majority of my life is taking care of home/farm/school and that is wonderful and fulfilling and exhausting," she said.

Cox's wide smile and obvious enthusiasm for the game made her a fan favorite in the Klum Gym sweat shop and it is still evident in her voice.

And she still loves Hawai'i. Her e-mail address is alohacox@bellsouth.net.