"Melissa has improved quite a bit and has become a versatile in her defensive play. She should compete for more court time this year."

Junior Season - Played in 29 games over 20 matches … had 32 digs for the season … had 5 digs versus Delaware … had 7 digs at North Carolina State.

Sophomore Season - Played in 26 games over 15 matches … had career high 11 digs vs. Jacksonville on 10/16/99 … had service aces vs. East Carolina, Campbell, Wake Forest, Clemson and Campbell … finished the season with 52 digs.

Freshman Season - Saw action in matches against Bowling Green, Appalachian State, George Mason and Princeton ... has a season-high two kills against George Mason ... finished the 1998 season with three digs, and two service aces.

High School - All-conference outside hitter two years and volleyball team captain three years at A.C. Reynolds High School in Asheville, N.C ... Conference (MAC) Player of the Year her senior season ... Asheville Citizen Times Player of the Week ... All-Western Team member as a senior ... 4.0 GPA Award all four years ... All-conference softball player and team MVP her junior year ... Scholarship Service Female Athlete of the Year for 1997-98.

Personal - Majoring in business...Carolina ACT mentor … Member of Athletes in Action...Melissa Jean Higgins is the daughter of Glen and Debbie Higgins ... born June 7, 1980.

CAREER STATS

Year	GP	K	E	TA	Pct	A	SA	D	BS	BA	TB
1998	5	2	1	4	.250	0	2	3	0	0	0
1999	26	1	3	8	-.143	2	5	52	0	0	0
2000	29	5	3	14	.143	1	1	32	0	0	0
2001	121	5	1	23	.174	16	32	287	1	2	2
Total	181	13	8	49	.102	19	40	374	1	2	2

ACC TOURNAMENT STATS

Year	GP	K	E	TA	Pct	A	SA	D	BS	BA	TB
1998	0	0	0	0	.000	0	0	0	0	0	0
1999	0	0	0	0	.000	0	0	0	0	0	0
2000	1	0	0	0	.000	0	0	0	0	0	0
2001	12	1	0	3	.333	3	5	34	0	0	0
Total	13	1	0	3	.333	3	5	34	0	0	0

NCAA TOURNAMENT STATS

Year	GP	K	E	TA	Pct	A	SA	D	BS	BA	TB
1998	0	0	0	0	.000	0	0	0	0	0	0
1999	0	0	0	0	.000	0	0	0	0	0	0
2000	1	0	0	0	.000	0	0	0	0	0	0
2001	7	0	0	0	.000	1	1	29	0	0	0
Total	8	0	0	0	.000	1	1	29	0	0	0