Whoosh. The volleyball sailed over the net. Altoona player number 28 rose up to her full height, spiking the white ball against the opposing team. Thwack. The gym erupted in cheers. From the sidelines, head girls’ volleyball coach Karan Price beamed with pride, shouting, “Commendable job, ‘Big D!’”

On Sept. 15, ‘Big D’s’ spikes echoed once more in the fieldhouse to a crowd of students dressed in black, the cheerleaders, Lioneers and the pep band for the annual Erin Dodson Memorial volleyball game—21 years after Dodson graduated from AAHS.

“She was the complete package,” Price said. “As a volleyball player, she was tall, she was lanky, she could hit hard, she could serve tough. But the thing that made her special to this program, to this community and to everything she touched, [was] she was the ultimate teammate. If she had a good swing, she’d be the first one over to the setter to say, ‘Great set!’ She would always be the one that would run over to somebody else versus taking the accolades on [herself].”

Dodson, a two-time Pennsylvania Volleyball Coaches Association All-State player who holds the school record for career kills and serving aces, was a three-sport athlete who left her legacy in the volleyball program through her work ethic, skills and personality. She lost her life in 2011 following a battle with brain cancer after being diagnosed during her studies at Juniata College. Price and then-assistant girls’ volleyball coach John Saboe wanted to memorialize Dodson and give to others with her legacy.

“Erin was such a competitive person,” Saboe said. “I was lucky enough to teach Erin, too. I had Erin in the classroom. Erin wanted to do, well, everything. If there were things that Erin would struggle at, Erin would work until she got it. It didn’t matter whether it was academically or athletically, Erin wanted to be the best at whatever she did. It was that drive to succeed that made Erin such an incredible person because you felt like you wanted to be around that kind of a person; you know they motivate you to do better as well.”

The Erin Dodson Memorial volleyball matches raise money for the Erin Dodson Scholarship Fund through basket raffles, 50/50 tickets, ribbon sales and Chuck-a-Duck. This year, the junior varsity girls’ volleyball team played against Hollidaysburg at 5:30 p.m., and the varsity girls’ volleyball team played the same opponent at 6:30 p.m., coached by Saboe. The varsity team lost 1-3. Just as Dodson did on the “Burn” practice days and throughout her cancer treatment, Price encourages the players to overcome adversity.

“Besides having all the ability and being the ultimate teammate, she was the hardest worker I’ve ever known,” Price said. “She would push herself to limits that no other kid in this program was pushing themselves to. When she came to the program, she couldn’t even serve the ball over the net.”

The Erin Dodson Memorial volleyball games began ten years ago to raise money to help local children reach their goals.

“She was just a good person,” Saboe said. “You talk about people in life, they’re good people. Erin was that person. After Erin had been diagnosed with cancer, had gone through brain surgery, had chemotherapy and radiation and all of it, Erin still looked at life as a glass half-full. You always knew when Erin walked in any place, because Erin let you know she was there. She was a happy, go-lucky person. To me, it was amazing how happy and go-lucky a person she was, considering everything she went through. Erin was always just bubbly and full of joy all the time.”

During her battle with brain cancer, Dodson was still determined to support her volleyball teammates at Juniata. She traveled to the National Championship in Minnesota with Price and her family to cheer them on. Dodson’s life and battle with brain cancer inspired her coaching staff to instill her legacy and values in future volleyball players on the team.

“We’re really grateful for everybody that came, especially the band and Lioneers for taking the time out of their night,” senior volleyball libero and defensive specialist Marina Petucci said. “Erin was one of the best players to come through the volleyball program. When coach Price talks about her, you can just tell how hard-working, how good of a person she was.”

This story was originally published on Mountain Echo on October 3, 2025.