The Liberty League is celebrating its 25th anniversary during the 2019-2020 academic year. Originally founded as the Upstate Collegiate Athletic Association (UCAA) in 1995, the conference was renamed the Liberty League during the summer of 2004. Each Thursday throughout the year, the Liberty League will be celebrating its silver anniversary by recognizing outstanding teams and individuals from its rich 25-year history.
Every growing program needs its first star, and as the Clarkson University Volleyball team began its ascension in the Liberty League, New York Region, and on the NCAA Division III national stage, no student-athlete epitomized that development more than former Golden Knight standout Sara Artus (2008-2011).
Although the Golden Knights now recruit nationally, Artus emerged from barely big enough for four syllables St. Regis Falls, a small New York town with a population that hovers just around 500 and is only 25 miles away from Clarkson’s campus. She had modest beginnings, averaging 1.48 kills per set as a freshman, one of many offensive options for a team that finished just one game above .500 at 21-20.
As Artus stepped up the following year, so did the Knights, with the team reaching its first NCAA Tournament, which would begin a string of nine straight years. Clarkson went 28-7 that year and Artus averaged 4.25 kills per set. It would be the first of three straight years that she earned Liberty League First-Team honors and three consecutive years as an AVCA New York Region First-Team selection.
Though Clarkson would bow out of the 2009 NCAA Tournament in the first round, the Knights won opening round matches in each of the next two seasons as the team continued to rise in terms of national prominence. During her senior season, Artus became the first female student-athlete at Clarkson to earn All-American honors for both her athletic prowess (AVCA All-American Third-Team) and high academics (Capital One/CoSIDA Academic All-American Third-Team). By her senior season, Artus was also only one of three players on the roster to hail from the state of New York.
Artus graduated in the spring of 2012 with three AVCA All-American nods and a Liberty League Player of the Year award (2011) to go along with numerous other honors, but the indelible mark that she left was a drawing card for future standout volleyball players. Although Artus was not part of the next six teams to reach the NCAA Tournament, she certainly created a level of dominance for which others could hope to aspire. It clearly worked, as the Golden Knights reached the NCAA Quarterfinals four consecutive years (2012-2015) and won six straight Liberty League titles (2012-2017).
She finished her career with 1,710 kills and 3.519 kills per set. Though her career kills mark has since been surpassed, the kills per game mark remains an impressive figure, especially considering her humble start which mirrored the program’s, from also-ran to regional power.
25th Anniversary Spotlight Series:
10/24/2019 - 1999 St. Lawrence Men's Soccer