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Amy Cox sets up her teammates. |
With 16 North Coast Athletic Conference (NCAC) titles since 1992, the Tigers know that maximum effort is expected in the classroom as well as on the court. Coaches expect Wittenberg student-athletes — regardless the sport — to be competitors on and off the playing surface.
"Wittenberg University has a phenomenal tradition of excellence in both athletics and academics," said Head Coach Paco Labrador, who has compiled a 257-37 record in eight years as the Tigers' head coach. "Great coaches like Bill Edwards, Betty Dillahunt, Dave Maurer and Pam Evans Smith – just to name a few – have set the bar high here. Today's coaches and student-athletes have a lot to live up to."
The volleyball program has more than done its part again in 2010, reaching the national competition after a regular season that ended with records of 30-2 overall and 13-1 in the NCAC. Wittenberg won the NCAC regular season title for the fifth straight year in 2010 and the NCAC Tournament crown for the fourth straight time. Amazingly, the Tigers have lost just three matches against conference opponents since 1997.
In the classroom, the Tiger volleyball student-athletes have been just as impressive, earning the American Volleyball Coaches Association Team Academic Award 10 times since it was introduced in 1992, the second-highest total in all of NCAA Division III. The latest honor was announced in August 2010, after the 2009 team compiled a cumulative grade point average of 3.4.
"It's great to coach a team of student-athletes who really have their priorities in order," Labrador said. "The AVCA Team Academic Award shows that the student-athletes in this program are willing to work hard on the court and in the classroom. I'm very proud of them."
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Miranda Sagle |
Cox and her teammates also traveled to Spain in May 2010 for a unique educational experience that Labrador, whose father still lives in the historic European nation, promises to each student-athlete who completes four years in his program as part of Wittenberg's unique Tiger GAME Plan.
Cox is just one example of a Wittenberg student-athlete making the most of the opportunities presented at Wittenberg. Just in the last 12 months, the Tiger women's soccer team reached its fourth straight NCAA Division III Tournament as Kelly Foley '11 earned second-team Academic All-America honors, the football squad reached the national quarterfinals powered by the efforts of offensive lineman Jeremy Block '11, a leader in an annual campus outreach program, and the men's golf program finished sixth in the nation, thanks in large part to the efforts of Jordan Millice '12, a recipient of the NCAA's Elite 88 award, which goes to the student-athlete with the top GPA at an NCAA championship event.
The list could go on for a while. But the story this week returns to the Tiger volleyball team, which opens its quest for the first national title in program history with a first round match at 8 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 11, at home in Pam Evans Smith Arena against Ohio Northern University.
The Wittenberg Regional figures to be one of the most challenging brackets in the 63-team tournament in 2010. Action starts with a match between No. 7 Calvin College and Otterbein University at 12:30 p.m., followed by No. 13 Heidelberg University against Greenville (Ill.) at 3 p.m. and No. 6 Hope College against No. 23 University of Chicago at 5:30 p.m.
The winner of the regional bracket will advance to the national tournament with quarterfinals, semifinals and finals set for the weekend of Nov. 19-21, at Washington University in St. Louis, Mo.
Wittenberg is making its 16th NCAA appearance and 15th in a row (1993-96-97-98-99-00-01-02-03-04-05-06-07-08-09-10). The Tigers have reached the NCAA Division III Tournament Round of 16 nine times in school history, the national quarterfinals five of the last eight years, and the national semifinals three times. Wittenberg has a 22-15 (.594) overall record in the national tournament.
Written By: Ryan Maurer
Photos By: Erin Pence
