Hall of Fame
In 1974, only the second academic year of Orange Lutheran High School, Bev Arnett joined the Lancer family as the school's newest hire. One of just seven staff members at the time, Arnett taught English, math, social studies and physical education. She also played a key role in developing the school's early English and PE curriculum.
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But what Arnett is likely best remembered for during those early years is her contribution to OLu's athletic programs. While on staff, she was head coach of the school's inaugural girls volleyball, basketball, and track and field teams.
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Not only did Arnett help launch some of the Lancers' earliest sports programs, but she also coached the school's first teams to win CIF championships—girls track and field in 1978 and girls basketball in 1981.
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An Orange County native, Arnett attended St. John's Lutheran School and graduated from Orange High School. After earning elementary and secondary education credentials from Concordia University Chicago in River Forest, Illinois, she taught at Hong Kong International School before landing at Christ Lutheran School in Costa Mesa where she taught a 7th/8th grade combination class.
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Arnett specialized in curriculum development early in her career, but she also had a love for sports and had long held a desire to coach at the high school level. She played several sports in high school prior to the passage of Title IX in 1972.
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"When I was in high school, girls weren't allowed to compete against other schools yet," said Arnett. "So we did a lot of intramural play during PE time. I played volleyball, basketball and field hockey…Then when I went to college, I played field hockey, volleyball, basketball, tennis and badminton. I just dabbled in everything."
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There were only about 80 students at OLu when Arnett first arrived on campus, and as such, many of the students she coached during that time were multi-sport athletes, including OLu Hall of Fame inductee Jenny Morner Jordan '76, a three-sport standout student athlete in volleyball, basketball, and track and field.
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In OLu's early years, there was no gym and no grass fields. The volleyball and basketball teams practiced outdoors on asphalt courts and played their games at Marywood High School, a former all-girls Catholic school in Orange, as well as at St. Paul's and St. John's campuses. Competing in the CIF's Small School division, the Lancers faced teams from as far away as Riverside and Big Bear.
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In 1978, Arnett coached OLu's girl track and field team to the first CIF title in school history. Against all odds and qualifying for the championship meet with only six athletes, the Lancers took first place in several events, including the 100 meter, 200 meter and 800 meter races, as well as both the 4x100 and 4x400 relays.
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"When we got down to the end, I'm looking at the points, and I'm thinking, you know what? We're going to win this," said Arnett. "There's no way we should win this. We only have six students here. But those six kids were just amazing."
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OLu's CIF victory in 1981 was just as thrilling. The Lancers girls basketball team had been ranked at #2 for most of the season and met up with the #1 ranked team, Rosamond High School, in the championship tilt.
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Despite trailing for the majority of the game, the Lancers sunk their final basket with 10 seconds remaining to defeat Rosamond 43-42 and claim OLu's second CIF crown.
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"They had been ranked #1 the whole season, and we just came in there, our brand new school, and won," said Arnett.
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During her tenure at OLu, Arnett also served as a class advisor, the student council advisor and the student activities director. In the early 1990's she stepped away from teaching and coaching and into the school's development and fundraising offices.
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And in 1992, Arnett departed from OLu, but not without leaving an indelible mark on the school's athletic legacy and the countless students she coached and taught.
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"The best part was the athletes," said Arnett. "I loved being able to see each one develop. I pushed them to be better, no matter where they started."
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After leaving OLu, Arnett continued teaching at the elementary level with stops at Grace Lutheran in San Diego and Zion Lutheran in Fallbrook. She retired from the profession in 2012, and in 2017, she moved to her current home in Round Rock, Texas.
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Arnett feels blessed to have played a role in establishing a school where faith is central to the mission of shaping students through strong academics, athletics and a Christ-centered community.
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"That's the most important part," said Arnett. "And to see it impact the kids was just wonderful. To watch them when they taught or when they coached and how they were training that next generation was always very satisfying."
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Since being named a 2025 Hall of Fame inductee, Arnett has enjoyed hearing from former students, athletes and coworkers who have reached out to congratulate her on this milestone. Still, she has a hard time finding the words to describe her gratitude.
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"I'm just very, very honored," said Arnett. "I'm in with a group of people…that are really examples for others. I'm hoping that's what I've been and that I will continue to be that."
