Keara Coughlin Hometown: Chicago, IL High School: Marian Catholic Height: 5-8 Position: Defensive Specialist Birthdate: 06/18/1981

AS A SENIOR: The first Irish volleyball player to appear as a libero - the position debuted in collegiate volleyball for the 2002 season ... ended her career by earning the Byron V. Kanaley Award, the highest honor bestowed upon student-athletes at the University ... served as team tri-captain with classmate Janie Alderete and junior Kristen Kinder ... appeared in all 32 matches and 107 of 113 games during the season (including six starts at libero) ... finished second on the team in digs with 274 (2.56 per game) ... season-high peformance in digs occurred at Illinois State with 18 ... also recorded 17 digs at Miami (Fla.) and 16 at Rutgers ... ended up with 14 double-digit dig performances during the season.

AS A JUNIOR: Served as team co-captain with senior Marcie Bomhack in 2001 ... appeared in all 29 matches and 100 of 103 games ... made 23 starts at defensive specialist ... had two double-digit dig matches in 2001 ... totaled 10 digs in Notre Dame’s four-game victory at Connecticut ... helped the Irish secure a five-game win vs. Illinois State with 10 digs ... posted eight digs in three games of action against Valparaiso ... had seven digs in a five-game match at Kentucky.

AS A SOPHOMORE: Played in 99 of the team’s 113 games in 2000 ... tallied eight digs against #3 UCLA ... notched seven digs and an ace vs. #16 Michigan State ... totaled six digs, two kills and two aces vs. Florida A&M ... had a season-high nine digs to along with two aces vs. #22 Loyola Marymount ... tallied seven digs against #4 Colorado State ... had a career-high four aces at West Virginia ... had a career-best 12 digs at #3 USC.

AS A FRESHMAN: Played in all 29 matches and 94 games after earning a starting position in the back row in ‘99... recorded at least one dig in all 29 matches, including double-digits three times ... made second start versus Northwestern, tallying her first career kill, four digs and two aces ... made her first career start in the season-opener versus Valparaiso, recording a team-best seven digs, three assists and three aces.

PREP & PERSONAL: Three-year letterwinner in volleyball at Marian Catholic High School in Chicago Heights, Ill. ... saw playing time as an outside hitter, middle blocker and setter at Marian ... two-time all-conference pick as a junior and senior ... led Marian to two conference championships and three regional titles ... team captain and MVP as a senior ... also played soccer, earning four letters as a defender and sweeper ... played club volleyball with the Chicago Juniors in 1999 ... prior to playing with the Chicago Juniors, played with the Windy City Volleyball Club, competing in several USA Volleyball national tournaments ... member of the National Honor Society ... won the U.S. Army and the East Suburban Catholic Conference Scholar-Athlete Awards ... also was honored with Marian’s Doug Damon Athletic Award, given to one Marian senior for athletic achievment ... mother, Gloria, played volleyball at Michigan State, earning a letter in 1975 ... sister, Moira, currently plays volleyball at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee ... uncle, Kenneth, and aunt, Mary Beth McNulty, both graduated from Notre Dame in 1985 ... born June 18, 1981, in Oak Lawn, Ill. ... full name is Keara Ann Coughlin ... daughter of Daniel and Gloria Coughlin ... graduated in May of 2003 with a theology degree from the College of Arts and Letters.