Lady Demon Volleyball | 9/14/2017 10:40:00 AM

NEW ORLEANS – When Channing Burleson arrived on campus in the fall of 2015, she appeared destined to reach several milestones during her Northwestern State volleyball career.
 
Becoming a member of NSU's 1,000-dig club was a possibility for the then-outside hitter. Two-plus seasons into her career, the likelihood of Burleson becoming the eighth member of that group is a near certainty.
 
As the Lady Demons ready for Friday's 7 p.m. Tulane Invitational match against the host Green Wave, Burleson needs 23 digs to hit the milestone.
 
All of this comes after Burleson, now a junior libero, spent her freshman season recording 148 kills as an outside hitter. Burleson's defensive prowess was evident as the 5-foot-8 Texan collected 241 digs in her first season, ranking second on the team.
 
"Channing's been great for us," third-year coach Sean Kiracofe said. "She was great last year in her first year as a libero. If she was there as a freshman, there's no telling how many (digs) she would have, but it would be much more than a thousand."
 
Thanks to one of the best statistical seasons in program history in 2016, Burleson put herself within striking distance of reaching 1,000 digs. In her first season as a libero, Burleson recorded 572 digs, third-most in school single-season history.
 
That mark placed Burleson 39^th nationally, and she ranked 59^th nationally in digs per set at 4.77. Thanks to Burleson's defense, NSU ranked 51^st nationally in total digs (1,923) and 67^th in digs per set (16.03).
 
Through 11 matches this season, Burleson continues to pace the Lady Demons (4-7) in digs with 164, averaging four per set.
 
Between opposing offenses hitting away from her and the experience of fellow backliners Kylie Spencer and Megan Lohmiller, Burleson's numbers have dropped slightly, but she has continued to produce at a high level.
 
"We have more depth this season," Burleson said. "That makes a huge difference. Our team chemistry is different. We (Burleson, Spencer and Lohmiller) push each other on a daily basis. We tell each other in practices and games, 'Don't let anything hit the floor.'"
 
Little has hit the floor around Burleson in the past season and a half. Her sophomore season's dig total was the most in school history by anyone not named Keelie Arneson.
 
Arneson's All-American standard will be the one by which all future Northwestern State liberos are measured, a fact not lost on Burleson. Arneson produced the two highest single-season dig marks (712 in 2013, 618 in 2012) en route to setting the school career mark of 2,135.
 
"I knew she was a great libero, and there are times when I think about her," Burleson said.
 
When Kiracofe and his staff made the decision to move Burleson from outside hitter to libero, they did so with the confidence Burleson could make the move flawlessly, commenting on her high volleyball IQ as a reason for doing so.
 
Said Kiracofe: "She's such a good volleyball player, we could put her in at any position and she'd do well. It's no surprise she's doing very well at libero."
 
At least some of Burleson's success can be credited to her former volleyball life as an outside hitter.
 
"After years of playing, especially going from being a hitter to straight defense, being able to read hitters is easier for me," Burleson said. "I don't know if it comes natural or if it's from practice, but I feel like I do anticipate things a lot. Most of the time, I'm right. Sometimes I'm not, but being a hitter has helped me in that."
 
That knowledge allowed Burleson to help turn Northwestern State's defense into a strength a season ago as the Lady Demons became more of a defense- and passing-minded team.
 
It also allowed her to move much closer to rarified territory within the NSU volleyball program. Burleson would need a season-high total to reach the 1,000-dig mark in Friday's match against Tulane, making it more likely she will do so in Saturday's 10 a.m. contest against North Florida.
 
There is precedent for Burleson to top 23 digs, something she did five times as a sophomore. Regardless of when she arrives at the 1,000-dig mark, Burleson has one thing in mind.
 
"I didn't know I was this close until recently," she said. "It's exciting, and I'm going to keep pushing afterward."
 
Tulane Invitational
Weekend Schedule
Friday
7 p.m. – Northwestern State at Tulane
Saturday
10 a.m. – Northwestern State vs. North Florida
4:30 p.m. – Northwestern State vs. Alabama State