(Posted December 15, 2004)

Huntingdon, PA - The NCAA Division III Championship captured by the Juniata College women's volleyball team will be featured as part of a television program airing on CBS at 3:30 EST on Christmas day. The program will highlight NCAA Championships from several Division II and Division III fall sports. The show will be one hour in length, with the segment on Juniata coming approximately 48 minutes into the telecast.

The segment will feature the Eagle volleyball squad earning the program's first NCAA National Championship. Juniata earned the national title November 27 in Rochester, Minn. The CBS cameras went behind the scenes, capturing the team as it prepared for the championship match against Washington University (Mo.). The match marked the fifth time Juniata had appeared in the championship match, and the 19th appearance for the program in the national semifinals.

Also highlighted will be Juniata women's volleyball mentor Larry Bock who added the elusive national championship title to his impressive coaching resume at the tournament. Bock is the winningest women's volleyball coach at any NCAA level, but had been unable to earn the championship in 22 previous trips to the NCAA Tournament. Bock has a career coaching record of 1,032-169 and claimed his 1,000th career victory early in the 2004 season.

The program will also tell the story of Juniata volleyball player Erin Dodson's (Altoona/Altoona) courageous battle against cancer. The Eagle freshman was stricken with cancer several weeks upon arriving on campus, but was able to make the trip to Rochester to be with her teammates during the semifinals and finals. Dodson was able to sit behind the bench during the matches, and joined her teammates on the court following the championship match.

Juniata's championship has garnered newspaper coverage throughout Pennsylvania as well as several postseason awards for the team. Senior Carli Dale (Cochranton/Cochranton) was named the Tournament Most Valuable Player, while teammates Katie Laucks (West York/York), Stephanie Kines (Towson/Towson, Md.) and Tara McMinn (Huntingdon/Huntingdon) were each named to the All-Tournament Team. Dale has since been selected as the Division III National Player of the Year, while Bock was honored with his fourth American Volleyball Coaches Association Division III Coach of the Year award.

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Contact April Feagley at feaglea@juniata.edu or (814) 641-3131 for more information.