California University of Pennsylvania Athletics

Katie Barker-Collins played an invaluable role in the rise to prominence of the Cal U women’s volleyball team, which has won five of the past seven Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference titles, beginning with her senior season.

An outside hitter for the Vulcans from 2002-05, she was a three-time American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) All-Region and All-Conference selection. She also received Academic All-District honors twice.

Barker-Collins, a four-year starter, becomes the third women’s volleyball player to be inducted into Cal U’s Hall of Fame, joining Jacqueline Wilson ’93 and teammate DingDing Lu ’04.

“This is very exciting, something I honestly never thought about and I am extremely honored,” said Barker-Collins. “I was very blessed to have such wonderful teammates to learn from and play with.”

Barker-Collins also lauded her coach, Melissa Myers, who is now the head coach at Illinois State and left Cal after the 2007 season.

“I had a great experience at Cal U for all four years I played there and loved playing under Melissa,” Barker-Collins said. “I learned so much from her and she was a great coach who always promoted the team and her players.”

Myers said Barker-Collins was one of the most memorable players she’s ever coached.

“She was a leader, a fighter and many times put the team on her back, took over a match and carried them to victory,” Myers said. “Katie thrived and excelled under pressure. Her attitude and determination helped lay the foundation for the success the California teams have enjoyed.”

Cal U compiled a 16-14 overall record during her freshman season and both she and Lu received all-region honors in 2003 after a 19-14 showing.

“We started off rocky and were very young those first two years I played,” Barker-Collins recalled. “However we had a lot of great recruits coming in and were gelling as a team. You could see it.”

In 2004, Barker helped the Vulcans make a fourth NCAA Division II Atlantic Regional Tournament in five years, and the team’s 28-7 final overall record was the program’s best since 1992.

Cal U won two matches at the regional tourney before losing to Lock Haven in the championship finals. Barker-Collins and teammate Aimee Helbig were named to the all-tournament team.

Barker-Collins led the PSAC and that season was ranked ninth among all NCAA Division II players in kills, with 641, a school record that ranks third in PSAC history.

In 2005, she concluded her collegiate career by leading the Vulcans (33- 3) to the program’s third PSAC championship and its first state crown in 13 years.

After PSAC Tournament victories over West Chester and Kutztown, Cal U avenged its only divisional setbacks with a memorable 3-2 triumph over two-time, defending-champion Lock Haven in the conference finals. The Vulcans dropped the first two games before storming back to stun the Bald Eagles by scores of 30-26, 30-21 and 15-10.

Seven years later, Barker-Collins’ memories of the come-from-behind triumph are vivid.

“I can still remember that feeling and I wish I could still save that,” she said. “We were down but never gave up on each other and came together as a team. From the beginning of the season that was our goal, to win PSAC’s, and we wanted it so badly. We fought point for point with Lock Haven and it sure was a great way to finish my career.”

Barker-Collins led the 2005 team with 507 kills and 513 digs and was second in service aces with 40.

She believes a team trip to China the previous spring was a catalyst for the championship that autumn. The Vulcans played four matches overseas and toured international historic sites in Beijing and Shanghai.

“They start playing volleyball at a real early age so many of the opposing players were younger than us,” Barker-Collins said. “Skill-wise they were just amazing. And it was so much more than just pounding the ball and trying to put it away. It was about being a smart player and what we learned there absolutely helped us the following season.”

The captain called the trip a great team bonding experience.

“We climbed the Great Wall and visited Tiananmen Square, the Museum of the People’s Square, those are things that you dream of doing,” she said. “Just to go over there to play, see that part of the world is something you’ll never forget. We were very fortunate and grateful for the opportunity to do that.”

She finished her career as the program’s all-time career leader in kills (1,895) and digs (1,821), now both the second-highest totals in school history.

Barker-Collins was the first Vulcan to register 500 or more digs in a season and the only Cal U player to accomplish that feat in three consecutive years. Her 149 career service aces and 464 games played rank third and fifth, respectively.

Barker-Collins earned her bachelor’s degree in special elementary education from Cal U in 2006 and completed her master’s degree in early childhood and elementary education online through Edinboro University. She also was a member of Phi Sigma Pi and part of the CHAMPS/Lifeskills program.

She is originally from Pittsburgh, Pa., and a graduate of Baldwin High School, where she was an all-state volleyball player who also competed in basketball, discus and shot put.

Barker-Collins is a special education teacher at Gorman Crossing Elementary School in Laurel, Md. She lives in Eldersburg, Md., with her husband, Jeremy, and 10-month-old son, Ryder.

She coached five seasons at Howard County (Md.) High School and was the head coach for two years.

Already possessing six years of teaching and coaching experience, Barker-Collins credits Cal U for paving her career paths. Before graduating she student taught and coached in the Peters Township School District.

“I loved my education and had many great professors,” said Barker-Collins. “Even before I student taught our coursework included going into classrooms which helped prepare me a great deal. Much of the assignments I learned at Cal I am able to do with my students now. I received a great education.”

updated 10/10/12