During their freshman year at SIUC, setters Kathy Dulle and Debbie Barr were competing for time at the position until Dulle tore cartilage in her right knee in August 1996. Dulle redshirted and missed the entire season, while Barr was handed the starting job.

Barr, a sophomore from Muncie, Ind., said Dulle’s injury allowed her to step right into a starting role.

Kathy’s injury was a disappointment to her, but it gave me a chance to prove myself last year and play in all the matches, Barr said. It was a surprise to come in and not have to battle for a position.

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As a freshman, Barr posted a school-record 1,433 assists on her way to earning the 1996 Missouri Valley Conference Newcomer of the Year award. She set the school record for most assists in a match with 82 against Western Illinois University Nov. 12, 1996.

This season, Dulle has returned, but Barr has not given up her position in the Saluki lineup. Picking up where she left off last year, Barr leads the MVC with 12.84 assists per game this season, and on Sept. 27 she became the fastest player in SIUC history to reach 2,000 assists for a career.

As Dulle waits for her opportunity, she said Barr has continued to improve her game.

When I first came here, Debbie and I were pretty much at the same level, and (the starting position) was pretty much in the air, she said. She’s faster than I am and knows the hitters better than me. Now, I just have to be ready to step up and always have the mind-set that I’m going to go in the game.

For her career, Barr has 2,115 assists, but has her sights set on a more lofty goal. With two years left, she is definitely in reach of the school record for career assists. Barr needs 1,134 assists to break Lisa Cummins’ record of 3,249 set from 1982 to 1985.

I’m shooting for over 5,000, Barr said. I’d like to have other setters want to accomplish what I’ve done. I want people here to have to break my record.

Barr’s persistence of striving to be the best at all times has impressed SIUC volleyball coach Sonya Locke.

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Locke said it would be premature to declare Barr as the most productive setter during Locke’s seven years at SIUC. But she said Barr’s desire to win separates the setter from others in the past.

I think it’s a little early to say she’s the best, but she’s just as competitive of a setter as we’ve had, Locke said. She’s somebody I would have recruited whether or not she was a setter because of how competitive she is.

Barr was not highly recruited out of high school, even though she played for one of the top programs in the country at Muncie Central High School. Barr was only recruited by four colleges, and she chose SIUC because of Locke.

Barr managed to lead her team in assists with 918 during her senior year as the team finished ranked No. 4 in the USA Today national high school poll.

Adjusting to losing has been one of the biggest changes Barr has encountered at SIUC. In Barr’s first season with the Salukis, the team finished 14-19. Her high school team only lost 10 out of 111 matches over a three-year period.

At my high school, we were a powerhouse, Barr said. We walked all over teams, but here I’ve had to work harder for the fact that we aren’t a powerhouse.

But Barr has gotten a taste of winning this season as the Salukis have compiled a 7-7 record. The team comes into this weekend’s road matches against Creighton University and Drake University riding a three-game winning streak.

Barr said she is pleased with her individual success, but hopes the team continues to play at a high level. She said there is still one goal that outweighs all of her personal records.

I definitely want to win the MVC before I’m done, she said. It is the ultimate goal because this school has never won a championship through volleyball. That would be the best thing for us.