FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE OCT. 22, 2001

Women’s Volleyball

GOLDEN EAGLES GRAHAM BREAKS SCHOOL DIGS RECORD

With her first dig on Saturday against Lees-McRae, Clarion University senior Ali Graham (Pittsburgh/Plum) broke the school digs record in volleyball.

Graham, who finished the game with 13 digs, now has 1,299 career digs. The previous record was held by Christy Boes, who had 1,286 from 1995-98.

"Even though I have only known her for short time, I know that she has put in a lot of hard work and dedication to become the player she is today," Clarion’s first-year head coach Tracey Fluharty said. "She is very deserving of this achievement, and she deserves all of the recognition for it."

Graham, an outside hitter, has had a very unselfish Clarion career. Brought in as an outside hitter, she had 130 kills and 264 digs her freshman season before being pressed into duty as a setter her sophomore season. As a setter she responded with what at the time was the second most set assists in school history in a single season with 1,272 to go along with 267 digs. Moving back to outside hitter last year, she had 317 kills, 357 digs, 214 assists and 82 blocks.

This season she is second on the team with 411 digs and also second on the team with 363 kills while adding 23 service aces, 86 blocks and 62 set assists.

For her career she has 1,585 set assists, the fifth most in school history, 845 kills, 151 service aces and 265 blocks. She is 56 kills shy of moving into a tie for fifth place in school history with Linda Cunningham (1988-91), who had 901, and 57 kills shy of moving into a tie for fourth place in school history with Nicole Flambard (1992-95), who had 902.

Graham’s efforts this season have helped the Golden Eagles to a 21-12 overall mark and a 2-4 PSAC-West record through Oct. 20. The 21 wins are the most for the Golden Eagles since they won 24 games in 1992.

NOTES: Graham might not be the only Golden Eagle to set a record this season, as sophomore setter Jackie Hill is 193 set assists shy of the single season mark in school history of 1,413 held by Karen Banks (1984). Hill had 1,408 set assists last year, the second most in school history, and she has 1,220 this season ... She is also 362 set assists shy of the all-time school record of 2,990 held by Wendy Ellenberger (1989-92) ... Clarion has six regular season matches left going into Tuesday’s match with Lock Haven.

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by Chris Rossetti