Sabrina Lancaster earns second-team All-Patriot League honors after killer season

Lehigh volleyball senior outside hitter Sabrina Lancaster was recently awarded second-team All-Patriot League honors for her play this season.

 In just nine games, Lancaster scored 110 kills while also tallying 63 digs and 12 total blocks.

The postseason awards, which were announced on March 31, featured seven players on both the first and second-team all league rosters. This marks the first time Lancaster was named to an All-Patriot League team. 

“I just felt grateful that I was on a team that pushed me to get to that position,” Lancaster said.  

There were a lot of unknowns this season, with the volleyball team only playing nine matches in a shortened season, but Lancaster said the team entered the gym every day ready to put in 110 percent effort.

“One person can’t lead everything, and I think the entire team really stepped up leadership-wise,” Lancaster said. “It really is a collaborative effort, they did me justice and they did the team justice.”

Lancaster, one of three captains, said she’s developed leadership skills and worked to be a reliable teammate. 

She said she’s learned valuable life lessons besides physical development in her time at Lehigh.  

Head coach Alexa Keckler described Lancaster as a player who is confident in herself as an athlete and always wants the ball. She said she rarely gets rattled and is a relentless player.

“She’s worked really hard during her time here at Lehigh and this year as a leader and as a senior,” Keckler said. “I just think it’s really rewarding for her to finally be able to achieve the recognition from her hard work and dedication to this program.”

Junior outside hitter Ava Hudson has been playing alongside Lancaster for the past three years. She said Lancaster has been a positive addition to her Lehigh experience and  is someone she has looked up to. 

Hudson said it is never a question of whether Lancaster will work hard or not. She’ll never settle for anything less than her best and has a large presence on the court, she said. 

“It doesn’t matter how she’s performing or how the team’s performing,” Hudson said. “She’s so consistent with her energy.“It is so important for any collegiate team to have that person and that consistent source of energy.”

Both Hudson and Keckler described Lancaster as a leader by example and someone who competes to win.

As Lancaster has progressed as an athlete over her four years, Keckler said she has taken up a larger role on the team. 

“As she has grown throughout the years, she has developed much more responsibility,” Keckler said. “I’ve also seen her become very humble. Whether she’s performing well or not, she does a great job of staying connected…I think that’s a big legacy she’ll leave behind.”

Reflecting on her Lehigh experience, Lancaster said the sense of community at Lehigh has taught her what it means to be committed and learn to make sacrifices.

She said her favorite memory includes the team’s dance parties before every home game, which is something she said she will miss. 

After graduation, Lancaster hopes to continue to play volleyball competitively and says the sport will always be a part of her life.   

“I have had so much fun playing with her,” Hudson said. “I’ve just been enjoying every single second playing with her…there’s just never a dull moment. If she doesn’t come back, she will be sincerely missed.”