"Get out of your comfort zone. Push yourself to be the best you can be."

These are the words of Sarah Paluck, and her mantra to be her best has resulted in her becoming the best.Paluck recently broke the all-time record for volleyball digs at Susquehanna University. The senior libero finished her game against number one ranked Emory with 2,110 digs, surpassing the old school mark by seven. At last count, she totaled 2,236, and with an excellent chance to break the Landmark Conference record of just over 2,500.Paluck has played volleyball since the fourth grade, and when she entered Tamaqua High School, her skills were utilized all over the court."I played outside hitter as well as defense or wherever they thought I could best help the team," she says.She became a defensive specialist while playing club volleyball. While still a sophomore, she met John Kuippo Tom, the head coach of Susquehanna, who recruited her to play for the Crusaders. In the meantime, she helped the Lady Raiders to twice qualify for the district playoffs.At SU, Paluck emerged on the volleyball scene to make an immediate impression as a freshman. She took her volleyball seriously with training and studying."We strengthen our arms and legs in the weight room with lifting exercises," she says. "And to improve my digging skills, (the ability to hit an opponent's kill shot up to a teammate before the ball hits the floor) I learn to read where the ball is going to go so I can get into position before the ball is hit over the net. Of course, the more you play the better you get at knowing exactly where the ball will go."Paluck, selected as team captain for the second year in a row, has managed at least 16 digs in each match this year, with a high of 35 against Covenant College. Her technique of landing on her shoulders and rolling to avoid contact with another player while diving onto the hardwood floor has prevented her from serious injury thus far."I've been fortunate," she says. "I've only sustained some ankle soreness, but otherwise I've stayed healthy."This year the Crusaders are 12-6 against a very tough schedule, and Paluck attributes her team's success to chemistry."Volleyball is so much a team sport and success depends upon everyone playing for each other. This year, the chemistry is amazing. We are just as excited about an awesome kill as we are playing great defense. When we are doing well, we're like a machine. Everything just flows right."SU head coach John Kuippo Tom describes Paluck as "incredibly athletic.""Sarah has the wiring to play this game at this level," he says. "She's adjusted to the speed of the play and she is a student of the game as well. We tweaked her mechanics a bit since her high school playing days and she has become excellent at reading where the ball will be hit."Tom says that Paluck has had an "exponential" impact on his team. He says Susquehanna is the only Landmark Conference team to come close to defeating perennial powerhouse Juniata, which hasn't lost a match since 1977."We have become their toughest opponent in the past four years, and it's not a coincidence that Sarah has been with us for each of those seasons."Playing the game is a continuous passion for the graphic design major who wants to illustrate product packaging labels after graduation. She gives much credit to her parents, whose encouragement is now paying huge dividends."There was a time I was too scared to push myself out of my comfort zone," she says. "My parents pushed me along until I could push myself."Joe Paluck, Sarah's father, whose pride in his daughter is visible through the tears in his eyes, noticed that she was special long before she hit the volleyball court."When Sarah was 5 years old, she walked into the house with a live wasp on her arm. She looked up at me and said, 'This is cool!' I got the idea then that she was not going to be afraid of anything as long as we stood by her side. She was even tougher than most of the boys when she played Little League baseball."Joe credits Sarah's club coach, Parkland High School's Mike Kraus, who first saw her "tenacity" on the court during club team play."People who watch her play are amazed how she can get to the ball in that 5-yard square she plays in," says Joe.Sarah, who also holds aspirations to become a volleyball coach, advises young players to keep pushing because you never know when you might meet a "random" coach like she did who will take notice of your efforts and skills.For her accomplishment of breaking the school's digs record, Paluck was named Pepsi Crusader of the Week. In 2013, she was selected for the Landmark Defensive Player of the Year award and to the All-Landmark First Team for the past two seasons.Coach Tom believes that Paluck also has a great chance to become an All American selection at the end of this year. With all her achievements and with her record-setting season, Sarah Paluck is back into a comfort zone, but this time, she's comfortable with not holding anything back. She will do whatever it takes to win on the court, and she plans to utilize her tenacious determination after college to continue her success.