The Clarion University women’s volleyball team recently concluded another successful campaign that saw the Golden Eagles advance to the NCAA Division II Playoffs for the second straight season while posting a 26-10 overall record and a 5-5 mark in the always tough PSAC-West. The 26 wins were the third most in school history.

"We were able to accomplish a lot this year," Clarion’s third-year head coach Tracey Fluharty said. "We set some goals for ourselves at the start of the season, and one was to go back to the NCAA playoffs, which we accomplished. We also wish we could have gotten to the PSAC Playoffs (Clarion missed the PSAC’s by one game), but that gives us motivation for next year."

While the Golden Eagles lost 3-0 to Lees-McRae in the opening round of the playoffs, Fluharty said her team has nothing to hang its head about.

"In addition to everything we did as a team, which everyone should be proud of, we had a lot of individual accomplishments as well," Fluharty said. "Some were recognizable accomplishments, while others were personal accomplishments. Everyone on the team improved as the year went on."

The Golden Eagles came out of the gates fast starting the year 10-2. Following a loss to Lock Haven in the middle of September that dropped it to 10-3, Clarion rolled off nine straight wins and 13 wins in 14 matches to run its record to 23-4. The Golden Eagles hit a rough spot, however, in the middle of October dropping four of their final seven regular-season matches. But despite the bump, the Golden Eagles were invited to the NCAA playoffs for the second straight year and for the second time in school history.

"We know we could have played better at times late in the season, but sometimes the chips just don’t fall your way," Fluharty said. "We can’t worry about that now. We just have to focus on the spring season and next fall."

The Golden Eagles were led by three AVCA All-Atlantic Region players in 2003 including senior setter Jackie Hill, senior outside hitter Melanie Bull and junior middle hitter Colleen Sherk.

Hill and Bull were also named first-team PSAC-West while Sherk was a second-team PSAC-West selection.

"All three players worked very hard to earn those honors," Fluharty said. "They are very well deserving honors."

Hill finished the season with 1,426 set assists, the third most in a season in school history, and her 11.97 set assists per game were fourth most in the PSAC. Hill added 377 digs, 75 kills, 46 service aces and 84 blocks.

"Jackie is one of the best setters in the conference," Fluharty said.

Bull broke her own school record for kills in a season with 584, and her 4.79 kills per game ranked second in the PSAC. She also added 523 digs with her 4.29 digs per game being seventh best in the PSAC.

"Melanie is one of the top outside hitters in the region," Fluharty said. "I couldn’t have asked any more from her."

Sherk had a breakout year finishing with 435 kills, 157 blocks and 133 digs. Her 1.29 blocks per game ranked fourth in the PSAC, while her 3.57 kills per game ranked ninth in the conference.

"Colleen has improved so much since her freshman year," Fluharty said. "She really works hard on her own to improve, and that definitely showed up on the court."

Additional key contributors for the Golden Eagles this season included senior defensive specialist Laurie Hepler, sophomore Libero Ashley Kreiner, junior outside hitter Sara Heyl, sophomore middle blocker Karen Stoklosa and sophomore outside hitter Heather Byrne.

Hepler finished the season with 461 digs and 27 service aces. Her 3.91 digs per game ranked ninth in the PSAC, while she recorded 20 or more digs in a match five times during the season including a season-high 28 against IUP.

Kreiner, in her first year as the Libero recorded the third most digs in a single season in school history with 535. Her 4.50 digs per game ranked fifth overall in the PSAC and was No. 1 in the conference among Liberos.

Heyl finished third on the team with 253 kills while adding 419 digs, 33 service aces and 98 digs.

Stoklosa had a breakout season with 240 kills, 49 service aces, 105 digs and a team-best 168 blocks. She led the PSAC with 1.38 blocks per game.

Byrne, who stepped into the lineup following an injury to Tonya Zatko, finished the year with 112 kills, 68 digs and 18 blocks. Zatko, meanwhile, played in just 27 games and had 64 kills, 17 digs and nine blocks.

"We really didn’t have a lot of depth this season," Fluharty said. "But we did have a pretty good core group."

The Golden Eagles will lose three four-year seniors following the season in Hill, Bull and Hepler.

All three have their names written all over the Clarion record book.

In her career Bull has garnered two All-Region selection, two first-team PSAC-West spots and one PSAC-West second-team honor. She is the school record holder in both kills (1,926) and digs (2,000) while sitting No. 1, No. 2 and No. 4 in single-season kills in school history and No. 1, No. 2 and No. 5 in single-season digs. Her 187 career service aces are third in school history.

"Melanie is one of the top outside hitters in school history," Fluharty said. "She has meant an awful lot to our team."

Hill has twice been named All-Region and first-team All-PSAC-West while smashing the school record for set assists with 5,846 nearly doubling the previous mark. She also sits second in school history with 1,460 career digs, and is No. 1, No. 2, No. 3 and No. 5 on the single-season set assists list. Her 319 career blocks ranks seventh in school history, and her 159 career service aces is also seventh in school history.

"Jackie is an all-around player," Fluharty said. "She was the leader of our offense on the court and a leader of the team off the court."

Hepler finished her career sixth on the all-time school digs list with 1m259 and her 511 digs in 2002 are the sixth most in a single-season in school history.

"Laurie is an unselfish player," Fluharty said. "Last year she was our Libero, and this season we moved her to defensive specialist."

Fluharty said the Golden Eagles are going to miss all three seniors.

"Talent wise their stats speak for themselves," Fluharty said. "They are going to be missed a three crucial players to our team, and they are also going to be missed for their leadership and their communication."

While the Golden Eagles lose three key players, the cabinet isn’t all bare for the Golden Eagles.

Three soon-to-be seniors will be expected to lead the way in Sherk, Heyl and Zatko.

In three season, Sherk had 699 career kills and 310 career blocks and ranks 10^th in school history in blocks in a career.

Heyl has 495 career kills, 74 career services aces, 877 career digs and 164 career blocks, while Zatko has 394 career kills and 106 career blocks. Two seasons ago, she had 321 kills and 93 blocks.

Three soon-to-be-juniors will also be looked at to provide both points and leadership.

In two season, Kreiner has 796 career digs, which ranks 12^th in school history, while Stoklosa has 263 kills, 54 service aces, 113 digs and 181 blocks. Byrne has 125 career kills to go with 233 career digs and 20 career blocks.

Additional underclassmen who could be looked towards next year who saw limited played time this season include Megan Rodgers, Halee Schnur, Jenn Sacco, Amanda Kolcun and Lindsay Banner.

"I don’t see next year as a rebuilding year but as a chance to continue our success," Fluharty said. "We aren’t going to be able to replace on seniors with one or two players. We are going to go out and try to find three or four players to take their spots. We will hurt some because we will miss their experience, but we have a lot of talent already her and a lot of talent coming in. We might actually we more well-rounded next year."