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Fond Farewell

Lund Coaches Final Home Match At JCC

Jamestown Community College women’s volleyball coach Ashley Lund, left, and athletic director George Sisson share a hug after Lund’s final home match as the Jayhawks’ coach Tuesday at the college’s Physical Education Complex. P-J photo by Scott Kindberg

Early Tuesday evening, Jamestown Community College director of athletics George Sisson walked behind the scorer’s table in the Physical Education Complex carrying a plastic bag.

Inside was a volleyball.

But not just any volleyball.

This one had special meaning.

So immediately after the Jayhawks posted a 25-11, 25-16, 25-11 NJCAA Region 3 Division III victory over Genesee CC, Sisson took to the microphone and presented head coach Ashley Lund with that commemorative volleyball that included team and personal milestones. The ceremony was held to recognize Lund’s decorated tenure at her alma mater on her final match on a court she has called her home away from home for most of the last two decades.

Jamestown Community College women’s volleyball coach Ashley Lund celebrates after the Jayhawks beat Genesee CC on Tuesday at the college’s Physical Education Complex. P-J photo by Scott Kindberg

But after 12 seasons at the helm, she wants to spend more time with her family.

“I know I’m making the right move,” Lund said, “but it’s still a little bittersweet. … It’s kind of a whirlwind that I’ve been doing it this long. Making the decision to step down wasn’t easy, but they need me more.”

She was referring to her husband, Patrick, and their children, Alexander, Hanna and Greta, who joined in the post-match ceremonies as well.

Sisson said that Lund told him of her intentions in August.

“I didn’t say anything for two months, hoping she’d change her mind,” he said, “but she’s going to coach another really good team — Team Lund — and they need her to be there.”

Jamestown Community College volleyball coach Ashley Lund, fourth from left in the back row, is surrounded by her family and her team Tuesday night. P-J photo by Scott Kindberg

To suggest that Lund, a Randolph native, has been “there” for her volleyball program would be an understatement.

Check out these accomplishments,

Since taking over as the head coach in 2008, the Russell, Pennsylvania resident has earned Western New York Athletic Conference Coach of the Year honors in 2009, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2016, 2017 and 2019. She was also named Region III Division III Coach of the year in 2013, 2017, 2019 and was chosen the District A coach of hte Year in 2012, 2017, 2019 and the District B Coach of the Year in 2018.

During her tenure, Lund, who has posted a 304-110 record, has coached six All-Americans, four WNYAC Conference Players of the Year, three Region III Players of the Year, 30 Region III Division III All-Region team selections, and 37 athletes who have received WNYAC all-conference team honors. Her teams have participated in seven Region III Finals, claiming titles four times (2012, 2017, 2018, 2019), and Lund’s 2019 team was presented the NJCAA Division III Sportsmanship Award while at the NJCAA Tournament in Rochester, Minnesota.

“She was good,” Sisson said. “She takes her job very, very seriously. She had some good players and she’s had some very average players who she made a lot better while they were here. That’s to her credit.

“As a coach, I enjoyed watching her work. She coached all the time. She never took a day off, and she did it in all the right ways.”

Lund will not be leaving the campus entirely. She will remain as the school’s assistant director of athletics and compliance. Her office, not coincidentally, is just off the court where she had so many memorable moments.

“When I got to be the women’s (basketball coach at Jamestown CC) and I saw some of the success she had here, I told her she was making me mad,” Sisson said with a laugh. “I told her I was going to make it to the national tournament. She wasn’t going to be the only one here (who’d done it).”

Well, guess what?

Lund won that friendly bet.

“The Jayhawks are losing a really good leader,” Sisson said. “I hope the program has done enough to attract the next one.”

NOTES: Leading the Jayhawks to victory in Lund’s final home match were Emma McCarthy (one ace, 13 kills, 12 digs), Maddie Johnson (three aces, 27 assits, one kill and 10 digs), Claire Pumford (three aces, three kills and 15 digs), Megan Cotter (two aces, nine kills, 12 digs) and Emma Pumford (five kills and three blocks). … Emma Pumford was honored before the match on Sophomore Night. … The Jayhawks are back in action on Saturday for the WNYAC Tournament at Monroe CC.

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