California University of Pennsylvania Athletics

DingDing Lu was a four-time, first-team, all-conference middle hitter for the women’s volleyball team from 2000-2003.

She also was a three-time American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) and two-time Daktonics all-region selection.

In her first year on the team, Lu helped the 2000 Vulcans and former head coach Limin Jin achieve the program’s first-ever NCAA Division II post-season appearance and win 27 matches, the team’s highest single-season victory output in seven seasons.

Cal won the NCAA Division II Atlantic Regional championship with three tense victories over East Stroudsburg (3-1), Edinboro (3-2) and host Lock Haven (3-1) universities. After overcoming deficits in both the semifinals and finals, Cal wrapped up the crown with a 15-3 game four victory over defending champion Lock Haven in the Bald Eagles’ gymnasium.

Lu was named to the Regional all-tourney team and Cal advanced to the NCAA II Elite Eight. The team moved on to the semifinals after sweeping Pace (N.Y.) University 3-0 in the national quarterfinals. The historic season ended with a defeat to eventual national champion Hawaii Pacific University.

This remains the deepest a Cal volleyball team has advanced nationally. Lu led the NCAA Division II in hitting percentage (.446) that season.

A decade later, Lu looks back fondly on her memorable freshman season.

“It was difficult as I recall,” she said. “Nearly everyone on the team did not have experiences of participating in higher level of competitions,” she said. “We were also trying to figure out good offensive and defensive systems that fit our team. At the time I did not think we were the best team but indeed we almost won it all.”

A consistent player, Lu helped the Vulcans achieve four consecutive winning seasons and set the groundwork for future success. The program’s last losing season in volleyball was in 1995; heading into 2010, Cal women’s volleyball has won the past three consecutive conference and regional championships.

“Each of us worked very hard together and had a hunger to win,” said Lu. “I think our success was 99 percent because of hard work and one percent of luck. We reached a high level.”

Lu played her final two seasons under Melissa Myers, who coached at Cal from 2002-2007 and is now the head coach at Illinois State. She praised both coaches and lauded Jin for recruiting her for two years.

“It was a great experience for me to play under two different kinds of leaders,” she said. “Although they had different concepts of coaching volleyball, both shared the same goals. “Both of them took the program to a new level, and both made school history. Off the court they pushed all players on their education. I admire the hard working and efforts they had for Cal U. My experience of playing volleyball at Cal U would not be this colorful without them.”

Always among the PSAC leaders, Lu finished her career owning the single-season records in kills, with 579 in 2003 — a total that still ranks second. Her hitting percentage as a freshman remains the school standard. Lu’s 141 blocks in 2000 and her 52 service aces in 2003 still rank fifth and sixth, respectively.

Lu’s 463 total blocks remain a school record, and her previous school career records of 156 service aces and 1,803 kills are second and third respectively, even seven years later. She played in 446 career games, the eighth highest total in school history.

She is the second women’s volleyball player to earn Cal U’s highest athletic honor and joins former standout setter Jackie Wilson ‘93, a 2002 Hall of Fame inductee. Lu is understandably flattered with making the Hall of Fame and appreciates the accomplishments of past players.

“First of all, it is such an honor for me to be inducted into the Cal U Athletic Hall of Fame 2010 class,” she said. “Not being the first one to be chosen from the volleyball program shows that players before my time also put great effort in. I just hope the hard work helped the dreams of everyone in volleyball at Cal to reach a further level and be recognized.”

She is pleased about the team’s continued improvement since she graduated.

“I am very happy to see that Cal U has become such a strong team in the region and I am proud of being part of the team that started the turn-around,” she said. “Undoubtedly, new players will understand that as long as they keep working hard, their achievement will be recognized by the school, and have the same chance to receive this wonderful award.”

Originally from Beijing, China, Lu earned her bachelor’s and master’s degrees, both in business administration, from Cal U in 2004 and 2006.

“As a foreign student, I shared a different language, lifestyle and way of thinking with local students,” Lu reflected. “During my stay at Cal U, I learned how to interact and communicate with them, and also learned to be tolerant and understanding. These are an important parts of the wealth in my life.”

During her scholastic days, Lu excelled in the high jump even before playing volleyball. She qualified for the District Athletic Meet and earned runner-up honors.

Though she has been unable to return to campus since earning her master’s degree, Lu regularly keeps up with her alma mater through the Internet.

“I am glad to see the school has been improving its educational programs, as well as creating more events to make the school life more interesting for the students,” she said. “One of my classmates gave me a link to Cal U Hi-Res Webcam, and I loved seeing the new Duda Hall,

Lu resides in Beijing and occasionally plays competitive club volleyball.