Aug. 30, 2007

EASTON, Pa. - Because of both its academic and athletic reputation, Lafayette College attracts students from all over the country. Despite the diversity of states and countries represented on College Hill, most people rarely give the state of Montana a second thought.

However, if fans see just one women's volleyball match this season and see Montana-native Karla Barbiche in action, they will be thinking plenty more about the Treasure State. Her performance on the court will make it impossible to ignore both her and the Leopards this season.

Now in her fourth year on the volleyball team, Barbiche has been part of a program that has shown continual improvement since she stepped foot on campus. While she didn't really know what to expect during her freshman season back in 2004, her experiences have been more than she could have imagined.

"It's been everything and more," she said just one week before the Leopards opened their 2007 fall season. "We've been developing every year since I got here. We've had a better record every year and it's been a really good thing to be a part of. We're not taking steps back; we're continually taking steps forward."

The team has continued to take those forward steps in large part because of Barbiche's play as well as her leadership. She saw playing time in 25 matches and 77 games as a junior and was a key member of a solid Leopards' defense, averaging 2.03 digs per game and recording 21 games with multiple digs.

The Leopards' record of 18-10 during Barbiche's 2006 junior campaign earned the team a spot in the Patriot League Tournament, which had been the squad's goal at the outset of the season.

"It was fulfilling to make it to the tournament because that was our goal going into last season," she said.

Even though the Leopards reached their goal, it did not erase the bitter taste their first round loss to American left behind.

"We all learned what we need to do this season," Barbiche said. "Now our goal is to make it farther this year."

Head coach Terri Dadio Campbell knows she can rely on Barbiche to help the team achieve that goal. She will count on the senior to again anchor the Lafayette defense and guide the team to the Patriot League Tournament for the second-straight year.

"Karla will continue her roll as a strong defender for us," she said. "Serve receive is always a big focus in our preparation and I expect consistency this season, particularly with Karla leading the way."

Like all Lafayette student-athletes, however, Barbiche's focus is split between her time on and off the court. A civil engineering major, Barbiche has learned to balance both school work and volleyball commitments and Lafayette College has given her more opportunities than she imagined to explore both worlds. She traveled to Belgium during her junior year, something that both the College and her coach encouraged.

"It was such a good experience and Coach really encourages her players to study abroad," Barbiche said. "She knew it would be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to travel and meet new people."

Despite student-athletes' drive to experience success in their respective sports, the ultimate goal remains to obtain a degree from Lafayette College and Barbiche's trip to Belgium helped her reach that goal.

"It was so helpful that Lafayette provided a College professor to teach some of our civil engineering courses so I didn't fall behind," she said.

Of course, her coursework wasn't the only thing that stood out from her trip.

"The chocolate and the waffles were the greatest!" she said.

Barbiche's commitment to both her sport and her education speak to her high level of maturity. Her teammates look up to her as an example of how a leader should act. By admission, she leads more by example than by her voice, but she has a presence that commands respect. It might seem unexpected, then, to discover she wasn't always so comfortable in that role.

During high school, her father signed her up to compete in the Miss Teen Montana competition without her knowledge. He felt it would improve her manners and give her great interview practice, as well as help prepare her for the future and increase her confidence.

"The morning of the competition, I took the SAT's and then drove two hours there and had to learn the opening dance routine," Barbiche said with a laugh. "I'm not sure if it really improved my manners, but it was fun and a good experience. I certainly don't regret it."

Whether the competition served the purposes her father had hoped it would, Barbiche is now confident, well-spoken and ready to step to the front of her team, if not the runway, and lead the Leopards to another successful season.

Barbiche has found the perfect fit in Lafayette College. She has had the opportunity to continue her volleyball career at the demanding Division I level, work towards a degree in civil engineering and even travel the globe. Her teammates call her "Montana" for a reason, however. She has not forgotten the place that has been her home since she was four and is quick to remind people that despite being over 2,000 miles away, "people from Montana don't ride their horses to school and we do, in fact, have electricity and running water."