KUTZTOWN, Pa. (October 6, 2011)—There is so much one can say about senior Cait Hess (Newark, DE/St. Mark's) of the Kutztown University women's volleyball team. The 6'1 right-side hitter from Newark, Delaware has had many obstacles through her journey but is finally glad to see that her hard work has paid off.

Hess has reached a milestone that most collegiate athletes will never see. Over four years she has recorded 1,069 kills and she plans to add more as the season continues.  Hess transferred to Kutztown in 2009 and has been proud to call KU home.

“It feels very rewarding,” Hess said. “Just looking back at all the games and time that I've spent playing volleyball makes it all feel worth it.”

Coming to a new school with new teammates isn't a task that everyone is cut out for, but Hess never looked back and made a smooth transition with the Golden Bears.

"Cait has worked hard to learn new things since coming to our program,” Kutztown University head coach John Gump said. “We use her differently than she has ever been used before. There was some initial resistance, which is normal, but she trusted me when I told her she was extremely well suited for what we needed her to do, and it has worked out extremely well for her and for us."

The ladies of the KU volleyball team embraced Hess and with open arms. Anyone who knows the KU volleyball team knows that it's a group of outgoing, fun, dedicated, and charismatic ladies who love the game, and Hess was a perfect addition.

“I love this school,” Hess said. “Whenever I think about college, I think of the memories from Kutztown. I'm glad I'm a part of this team and have the opportunity to play with such wonderful girls. Being here has challenged and pushed me to become better.”

She recorded 394 kills in just two seasons in the maroon and gold. Hess serves as a powerful threat to opponents as she guards the net, ready to go up for a block or intensely attack the ball for a point. No matter what the opposition is serving up, Hess is always prepared to deliver her lethal dose of protecting the front line.

"She has the ability to take over a match on offense,” Gump said. “When she is in rhythm and taking the ball high, she can be really difficult for people to stop."

Hess has no intention of stopping. With the end of the regular season approaching, Hess plans to continue giving it all she has on the court. This season, she leads the team in kills (2.39/set) and is third on the team in blocks (51).

With Gannon University, Edinboro University, and Mercyhurst College each making a visit to Kutztown this weekend for Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Crossover games, Hess knows that Kutztown will have to stay confident to remain one of the top teams in the PSAC East. The Golden Bears will host Gannon at 12 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 7 followed by Edinboro at 7:30 p.m. On Saturday, Oct. 8 KU will face Mercyhurst for a game set to begin at 3:30 p.m.

“We have to play at a high level this weekend,” Hess said. “The most important thing that we have to do is start and finish strong.”