KIRSCH AND CLARK: TWO ARE ATHLETES SCORE HIGH HONORS: MIXING KILLS WITH ALL-AMERICAN GRADES

Pam Kirsch, a volleyball player that no college offered a scholarship to coming out of high school, was named the Ohio Valley Conference Female Athlete of the Year Tuesday. The key player in Southeast Missouri State University's regular season volleyball title, Kirsch led the conference in hitting percentage and was second in kills per game. In a remarkable display of domination, she scored a league-high 36 kills in the OVC championship match, propelling her to the OVC all-tournament team and the OVC Player of the Year for volleyball. Kirsch had already been named OVC Player of the Week three times in 1993. She finishes her volleyball career at Southeast tied for the OVC record for hitting percentage and third in Southeast history for kills and attempts.

What makes the above accomplishments even more impressive is that over her college career Kirsch also amassed a 3.473 grade point average in graphic design, leading to her selection as a third-team GTE Academic All-American.

Kirsch was only lightly recruited in high school and chose Southeast in part because it was close to home. Southeast volleyball coach Cindy Gannon remembers, "Four years ago Pam was not a great volleyball player. I don't know if she was even recruited for volleyball. ... But she worked so hard, both athletically and academically, and I'm so proud of her."

The latest award brings honor not only to Kirsch, but to her volleyball teammates, coaches and the university she attends. As Southeast president Kala Stroup said at a ceremony on Wednesday honoring Kirsch, "To be selected as Female Athlete of the Year is one of the top honors in the OVC. Pam is certainly the consummate student-athlete."

We pass our congratulations on to the outside hitter and graphic designer from Nashville, Ill. And we suggest all young athletes take a lesson from her that hard work, perseverance and determination certainly can pay off.