Melissa Stadelman could have been a scholarship volleyball player at several NCAA Division II colleges, but that wasn't a big enough challenge for this Carrick High School graduate.

"I could have taken a full scholarship to play at schools like Clarion, Slippery Rock and Edinboro, and would have been a three- or four-year starter, but I wanted a bigger challenge. Playing at the Division II level wasn't a challenge to me.

"I wanted to prove to myself that I could play at the next level. I wanted to play Division I ball and didn't want to move far away from home, because I love Pittsburgh."

With that in mind, Stadelman decided to attend the University of Pittsburgh and earn a spot on the Panthers roster as a walk-on.

"I knew there was a possibility that I would never start a varsity match at Pitt," Stadelman said. "But I was willing to take that chance for the opportunity to play Divison I ball."

Stadelman redshirted her freshman year at Pitt.

"I was one of five freshmen and coach [Chris] Beerman redshirted all of us," Stadelman said. "I saw some action the following year as a redshirt freshman, but didn't earn a varsity letter."

As a redshirt sophomore, Stadelman saw action in 41 games, posting 46 kills and 68 digs. She earned a varsity letter and went into the next season with high hopes. But things changed when Beerman resigned and was replaced by Toby Rens.

"I didn't know what to think," Stadelman said. "And to make matters worse, I was on a mission trip when coach Rens took over. I didn't get a chance to talk with him until the week before we started practice."

Stadelman spent three weeks in Spain during that summer.

"I was on a mission trip with FOCUS [Fellowship of Catholic University Students]," Stadelman said. "It was a backpacking trip that traced the steps of St. James the Apostle. We hiked 20-30 kilometers every day. It was a great experience."

Stadelman earned a varsity letter in her first year under coach Rens, but saw her playing time cut. She saw action in 37 games and recorded 14 kills, 14 digs, and 11 blocks.

That left Stadelman with a tough decision.

"I graduated with a degree in communications and rhetoric, but still had one year of eligibility remaining," Stadelman said. "I wanted to play, but couldn't afford another year of school."

Fortunately for her, coach Rens wanted to keep Stadelman in the picture. He offered a scholarship and asked Stadelman to be one of the Panthers' co-captains.

"Melissa impressed me right away with her work ethic and commitment to the program," Rens said. "It's rare to see a walk-on make a name for herself at a Division I school. To see her development and growth over the last nine months has been amazing."

Stadelman, a 5-foot-11 redshirt senior, has started every game this season as a right-side hitter for the Panthers.

"It's a wonderful success story," Rens said. "Melissa really won me over last year and has done a great job this year. She's been a big catalyst for us."

Stadelman has started in 28 matches and 100 sets for the Panthers. She ranks third on the team with 226 kills and a .244 kill percentage. She's also third with 131 digs and in blocks with 85.

"The other thing that impresses me is that Melissa embodies everything that is Pittsburgh," Rens said. "She's been a great ambassador for the University of Pittsburgh and the volleyball program, both on and off the court. She has shown a great commitment to improving herself, as an athlete and a student, during my time at Pitt. It's been fun to be part of that."

Pitt finished the regular season with a 20-8 record and tied for second place in the Big East Conference with a 12-2 mark. The Panthers enter the Big East tournament as the No. 3 seed. The tournament begins tomorrow in Louisville, Ky., with the Panthers facing South Florida.

"Our goal is to qualify for the NCAA tournament," said Stadelman, who is spending this season working toward a graduate degree in social work. "It would be a great way to end my career."

Stadelman led Carrick to four City League titles during her career with the Raiders. She was a City League All-Star all four years, and recognized on the PVCA All-State Team twice.

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