(Posted March 9, 2001)

Sophomore Ryan Jackson (Cochranton/Cochranton), a libero on the men’s volleyball team, and freshman Kim Allen (Susquehanna Township/Harrisburg) of the women’s swimming team, were named the Juniata College "Athletes of the Month" for February.

A defensive specialist for the Eagles, Jackson has been a key performer for the Juniata volleyball squad. On February 23 in a 3-1 (28-30, 30-26, 30-23, 30-25) victory against Princeton, he had a season-high in digs with 19. For the contest he averaged 4.75 digs per game. Twice during the month of February he had 18 digs in a match. The first helped lift the Eagles to a 3-2 (30-32, 30-19, 30-21, 27-30, 15-13) win over New Jersey Institute of Technology. The second came in a hard-fought 3-1 (20-30, 30-27, 27-30, 26-30) loss against Division I Concordia (NY).

For the month he tallied 104 digs (2.74/per game) and chipped in with four assists. He also showed his durability by competing in all 38 games during the month.

As of March 9, Jackson leads the team in total digs with 137 and dig average (2.40).

Allen became the first Juniata performer to post multiple first-place efforts at an MAC swimming championship on February 16-18. During the three-day event she earned the top spots in the 100- and 200-yard breaststroke events with Juniata school record times of 1:07.38 and 2:26.97, respectively. She also was a member of the 200- and 400-yard medley relay teams that placed first and set program standards for Juniata. The time of 1:53.30 in the 200-yard medley set a new standard in the MAC Conference. For the month, Allen had three other individual first-place finishes. One of the top showings came against Division II Lock Haven on February 3. She brought back the 200-yard breaststroke victory, during the team's 112-91 loss. Against Millersville, another Division II opponent, she touched first in the 200-meter individual medley and won the 200-meter breaststroke.

Her times in the 100- and 200-yard breaststroke at the conference championship earned her a spot in the 2001 NCAA Division III Swimming Championship slated for March 8-10. She will become the first-ever Juniata competitor to make a showing at the national swimming championship. She heads into the action at the Flickinger Aquatics Center (Erie Community College) in Buffalo, N.Y., seeded 15th in the 100-yard breaststroke and 20th in the 200-yard breaststroke.

Allen, for the season, is second on the team in first-place finishes (33) and points (261.8). She was an integral part of the Eagles best-ever finish at the conference championship (fourth) and their solid 9-5 dual-meet record.

The Juniata College "Athlete of the Month" award is sponsored by McDonald’s of Huntingdon and Mount Union. Barb and John Eastman, who own and operate the local McDonald’s restaurants, provide the winners with plaques.

Contact April Feagley at feaglea@juniata.edu or (814) 641-3131 for more information.