Bionic Woman Returns: Second Stint At Prairie Grove For Coach

SECOND STINT AT PRAIRIE GROVE FOR VOLLEYBALL COACH

PRAIRIE GROVE -- There's Lindsey as her first name and a surname, Biocic, which prompts some people to refer to the Prairie Grove volleyball coach as "the Bionic Woman."

Lindsey Biocic knew of the show but wasn't really familiar with the character and only recently learned the starring actress, Lindsay Wagner, has the same first name as her although Wagner's is spelled slightly different.

By the same token if the first c in Biocic is replaced with an n the word becomes "bionic."

The original "Bionic Woman" television series aired on ABC from Jan. 14, 1976, to May 13, 1978, featuring Wagner as an atomic-powered heroine capable of running faster than 60 mph for however long she wishes with super-hearing in her right ear and extraordinary strength in her right arm and both legs -- thanks to surgical cybernetic implants or bionics.

The television character known as Jaime Sommers teaches high school and junior high students as a cover while working as a government agent in the fictional Office of Scientific Intelligence -- another parallel to the true life career of Lindsey Biocic, who returned to Prairie Grove as head volleyball coach in 2020 after three years at Rogers Heritage.

Lindsey Biocic's resume almost sounds like she's got super powers.

A native of Fort Smith, Lindsey Biocic, then known as Lindsey Layes attended Southside High School where she played for coach Steve Haaser, who finished his 40-year career with 1,015 volleyball victories before retiring in 2018 at age 67. Lindsey Biocic was part of the Rebels' 2006 7A state volleyball champions as a sophomore. As a junior she helped the Rebels reach the 7A state semifinals and became an All-State player as a senior in 2008. She was a USA Volleyball high performance camp selection in 2008 and named to the Arkansas Top 25 "Best Defender" 2008 team.

Her husband Thomas Biocic also attended Southside playing football and baseball for Haaser, who nicknamed him "the Bionic Man" after the "Six Million Dollar Man" 1970s TV show starring Lee Majors from which "The Bionic Woman" became an offshoot TV series of its own. Thomas Biocic was part of Southside's 2006 state football championship team.

Lindsey and Thomas knew one another in high school although they didn't date, but reconnected while attending Arkansas Tech. They married three-and-a-half years ago.

Lindsey Biocic was utilized primarily as a defensive player and libero during her collegiate playing days at Arkansas Tech. After redshirting her freshman year in 2009, Lindsey Biocic was part of a highly successful program with the Golden Suns winning 165 matches compared to only 66 losses in the next three seasons.

She was a member of Arkansas Tech's Gulf South Conference champions 2010 and Great American Conference Champions 2011 playing in the NCAA Division II volleyball tournament in 2011 and a member of Arkansas Tech's Great American Conference Runner-Up squad in 2012.

According to the Arkansas Tech website, the 5-foot-7 Lindsey Biocic recorded career highs of 5 service aces against Central Baptist on Oct. 3, 2011, and 15 digs against Harding on Nov. 17, 2012.

She was recognized for Gulf South Conference Academic Honor Roll 2010 and during 2011 and 2012 as part of Great American Conference volleyball All-Academic team.

Lindsey Biocic was originally hired during a special meeting May 13, 2014, to replace Hannah McDonald, who resigned as Prairie Grove's head volleyball coach, but stayed on with the district choosing to focus on the classroom. Lindsey Biocic's resignation from the district as a coach and teacher was accepted during a June 13, 2015, school board meeting. Mat Stewart replaced her and coached the Lady Tigers from 2016-19.

In a twist rivaling the "Bionic Woman" television drama, Lindsey Biocic becomes Stewart's successor as well as his predecessor as Prairie Grove head volleyball coach -- something Prairie Grove baseball coach Mitch Cameron experienced as well when he left for Rogers Heritage after the 2015 season and was replaced by Chris Mileham, then returned to Prairie Grove replacing Mileham as head coach following the 2019 season.

The two teachers conversed while at Heritage saying things like, "Missing Prairie Grove?" and the answer would be "Yeah, yeah, but it's good here, too."

When Lindsey Biocic began weighing the decision to leave Heritage and return to Prairie Grove she phoned Cameron asking, "Did you regret it?"

"Absolutely not, I love it here at Prairie Grove," Cameron said.

The more Thomas and Lindsey considered the possibilities, the more attractive returning to Prairie Grove became. The couple have an 8-month-old daughter named Brooklynn and like Cameron making family a priority tipped the balance in favor of choosing a small-town.

"The opportunity presented itself and I didn't have to think too long about it," Lindsey Biocic said. "We really started thinking about what kind of environment do we want to raise our daughter in. There aren't many kids around like Prairie Grove kids. Being a part of the community I knew the school was good. All the coaches here are in it for the right reasons. I really wanted Brooklyn to grow up in Prairie Grove."

Lindsey Biocic doesn't second guess her choice to take the job at Heritage although she admits she often wondered, "Did I do the right thing?"

"I grew as a teacher and I grew as a coach," Lindsey Biocic said. "I got to meet new people and got to compete at a very high level in 7A volleyball."

She chalks all those things up to a good experience, but now "the Bionic Woman" is more than happy having returned to Prairie Grove.