A longtime Salina teacher and coach will be honored.  Rose Wittman is the 2025 JRI Hospitality Hall of Fame Recipient.

Wittman has been in the Salina community since 1990, serving as a physical education teacher as well as a coach in volleyball, basketball and track across Roosevelt Lincoln, Salina Central High School, Sacred Heart High School as well as Salina South Middle and South High School. Leading her teams to many victories throughout her career, Wittman has been recognized for her achievements by a multitude of organizations.

Wittman was named Saline County Coach of the Year in 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007 and 2009. In 2006, she received the National Federation of High School Coaches Association Volleyball Coach of the Year recognition and the Kansas Coaches Association Volleyball Coach of the Year award. In 2016, she was inducted into the Kansas Volleyball Association Hall of Fame.

Wittman has served on the Kansas Volleyball Association (KVA) Board of Directors for 15 years. She also served as President of the Kansas Volleyball Association (KVA) and the KCA representative to KSHSAA for six years. Wittman has been affiliated with the Kansas Volleyball Association for 33 years, the Kansas Coaches Association for 20 years and the American Volleyball Coaches Association for 13 years.

As a head coach, she has led teams to multiple state volleyball titles and has been a state qualifier eight times. She has coached club volleyball, served on the staff at KU Volleyball Camp and Heart of America and was the camp director (and founding partner) of A Step Ahead Volleyball Camp from 1992 to 2013. She currently serves as tournament director of the March Madness volleyball tournament, and Salina Juniors Tournaments, a role she has held since 1998.

“We’re so proud to honor Rose as our 2025 recipient,” said Jason Ingermanson, founder and CEO of JRI Hospitality. “She has done so much for her students and student athletes which builds and strengthens the Salina community.”

The JRI Hall of Fame Award was developed to honor those who have made a significant contribution to youth sports and the Salina community as a whole. Recipients demonstrate a high level of leadership, teamwork, organization and accomplishment in inspiring the lives they touch.

The award will be officially bestowed upon Wittman at a reception held at 6:00 p.m. Thursday, March 27th at the Salina Country Club. The reception begins at 6 p.m. in the main dining room of the Salina Country Club; the award ceremony begins at 7 p.m.

Reservations are encouraged and can be made by calling (785) 827-0388 or emailing dlawrence@jriusa.com.