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.

Times Observer Photo by Scott Kindberg Lund celebrates her team’s victory over Genesee CC.

The post-match 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 in one shape or another for most of the last two decades.

Since taking over the program 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 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.

As a Jamestown CC student, Lund played volleyball, basketball and softball from 2002 to 2004 and, four years later, she assumed the head coaching position with the Jayhawks’ volleyball team.

And, except for one year when she had her first child (2011), she never left.

Times Observer Photo by Scott Kindberg Jamestown Community College volleyball coach Ashley Lund, fourth from left in the back row, is surrounded by her family and her team Tuesday night.

Currently the school’s assistant director of athletics and compliance, Lund and her husband, Patrick, have three children, Alexander, Hanna and Greta.