Elaine Michaelis

Elaine Michaelis

April 18, 1938 — April 2, 2025

Elaine Michaelis, age 86, passed away peacefully in her sleep the morning of April 2, 2025, in Orem, Utah.

Elaine was born on April 18, 1938, in Tremonton, Utah, to Arthur Ralph and Leatha (Corbett) Michaelis. She was the second of three children. She loved her parents and two brothers, Max Corbett and Arthur Lynn. She attended Garland Elementary through the 8th grade and then Bear River High School, from where she graduated in 1956. Raised in rural Garland, Utah, the only daughter of a small-town grain mill owner and operator, Elaine learned early in life the importance of family, faith, hard work, charity, and integrity. She often spoke of the respect and admiration she had for her mother and father and of the importance and responsibility she felt to continue their family values.

Success in sports came naturally for Elaine. Living her teenage years during a time prior to women’s sports programs in high school, she honed her basketball skills by practicing with a group of six young men at her dad’s grain mill, that the family called “the feed store,” each day. Her younger brother would later recall, “She was better than any of us boys”. She also enjoyed competing in church sponsored youth softball leagues. During her youth, Elaine regularly joined her dad, who called her “darling daughter”, in making the 120-mile drive from Garland to attend BYU football and men’s basketball games. The basketball games took place in the Smith Fieldhouse on a court which in 2005, was named “Elaine Michaelis Court” in her honor.

She attended Brigham Young University from 1956 to 1962, where she earned bachelor's and master’s degrees in physical education. While a student at BYU, she participated in volleyball, basketball, and softball, where she excelled. In 1959, she pitched a no-hitter and a one-hitter on the same day during a regional softball tournament at the University of Colorado.

Upon graduating from BYU, Elaine accepted a job teaching P.E. at South High School in Salt Lake City, Utah. Soon after, BYU called the high school and asked if they would be willing to accept an alternate P.E. teacher from BYU so the university could hire Elaine. South High agreed and Elaine’s contributions to BYU women’s athletics began.

Over the subsequent five decades, Elaine enjoyed a wonderful and rewarding career contributing to the success of BYU women’s athletics and women’s collegiate sports in general. A pioneer in women’s athletics, she served as Chair of the AIAW Volleyball Committee and chair of the AIAW National Ethics and Eligibility Committee, where she worked to further opportunities for women in the athletic community. As BYU’s women’s volleyball coach for 40 years, she retired as the all-time leader in victories among female coaches in collegiate volleyball at any level with 886 wins. In conference competition, her teams were dominating, earning an incredible 356-37 (.906) record. She holds the distinction of winning the inaugural championship in each of the five leagues in which BYU were volleyball members. Overall, her teams won 23 conference titles. Many of her players earned honors under her tutelage. Eighteen players earned 51 All-America awards, while four athletes earned seven Academic All-America awards. Elaine was named conference coach of the year eight times and region/district coach of the year twice, and United States Olympic Committee National Coach of the Year for Volleyball in 2002.

She was inducted into the Utah Summer Games Hall of Fame in 1987, the Utah Network for Women and Girls in Sport Hall of Fame in 1990, the AVCA Hall of Fame in 2003, the Utah Sports Hall of Fame in 2005, BYU Hall of Fame in 2008 and WCC Hall of Honor in 2012. In 1994, she was the recipient of the Dale Rex Memorial Award given annually by the BYU Cougar Club to the person who has contributed the most to amateur athletics in Utah.

More important than winning, Elaine valued the character of her players and programs and the relationships she formed with athletes, fellow coaches, and administrators. Elaine taught her athletes to play with integrity, even self-reporting ball touches that officials missed.

Elaine had many interests outside of her role in college sports, but none more important to her than her family. “Aunt Elaine,” as she was known to her nieces and nephews, was a staple at family events where she took an active role in their lives. Among the most memorable were her annual summer trips to the family cabin at Bear Lake where she hosted all her nieces and nephews, the generous Christmas gifts that included the latest BYU swag from the BYU Bookstore – all carefully sized for her growing extended family and the summer stay-overs in her home - complete with epic racquetball games. She also carried on her father’s tradition and regularly hosted her nieces and nephews at BYU sports games to cheer on the Cougars – a tradition she carried on until her final days, even attending games this season with the assistance of a walker. Elaine also enjoyed spending time with and traveling with her lifelong dear friends, Lou Wallace and Mary Gay Hatch.

A faithful and lifelong member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, Elaine had a deep love and testimony of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. She was a living example in so many ways and an inspiration to her family. She served in various capacities in her local congregation, including Sunday School teacher, Young Women’s president, and Relief Society president. She also served on the Young Women’s General Board from 1971 to 1973 and the General Church Activities Committee from 1982 – 1986.

Elaine is survived by her younger brother Arthur Lynn (Carolyn) Michaelis and numerous multi-generations of nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents and brother, Max Corbett (Mary) Michaelis.

Funeral services will be Thursday, April 10, at 11:00 a.m. at the Lakeview 8th Ward building located at 155 W 1600 S Orem. Viewings will be Wednesday, April 9, from 6-8 p.m. at the same location and Thursday morning from 9:30 am to 10:30 am also at the church.

Interment will be at the Garland Utah Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to the Arthur Ralph and Leatha Corbett Michaelis Endowed BYU Women's Volleyball Athletic Scholarship Fund. Endowment number: 72613090. Please use the following link to make your donation through LDS philanthropies. Thank you.https://nam10.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fdonate.churchofjesuschrist.org%2Fcontribute%2Fbyu%3Ffunds%3D30120447&data=05%7C02%7CBrant.Mecham%40churchofjesuschrist.org%7Ca4c3f5afea934876dd0208dd75d5e769%7C61e6eeb35fd74aaaae3c61e8deb09b79%7C0%7C0%7C638796283754609879%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=Rp%2BT5vy3TomgP%2BnegNT%2BJdBaP0HP%2BsnGG2w41hUlhoE%3D&reserved=0

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