Jamie Lowther knows her time at Purdue North Central is coming to a close. That's why for the 5'8" senior, leaving her mark on PNC volleyball is a big deal.

"I just want to be able to say that I was a major contribution to the growth of the program," said Lowther.

Panthers' head coach Brian Erminger was tasked with turning around a struggling program. From a roster suffering experiencing a lot of turnover to coaching the team by himself, Erminger has had an uphill battle. One thing he hasn't had to worry about is senior leadership. Lowther along with Brittany Piaseczny were two of the three returning players from last years' squad.

"Jamie is quite the asset. She brings a lot of excitement and a lot of enthusiasm, she's just a very competitive player," said Erminger.

Lowther suffered an injury last weekend during the Manchester tournament, but that hasn't stopped her from being an instrumental part of the team.

"With the recent injury to her thumb, we've wanted to be careful with her, but with this being her senior year, she's not letting anything stop her. She's a tremendous leader on and off the court and she's the type of athlete we're looking for at PNC. I see great things happening for her," said Erminger when asked about Lowther's toughness.

When the season is over, Lowther will graduate in the spring with a Bachelor's degree in Business. She is excited to pursue a career in marketing and event planning.

However, she plans to cherish every moment she has left with the team.

"I don't know what I'm going to do after this season is over. It's hard to think that is the last competitive volleyball I'll ever participate in. Me and Brittany joke about getting into an "old persons' league," once this season is over," Lowther said with a laugh.

When asked to predict where the volleyball team will be in a few years, Lowther is optimistic saying "The program is in good hands with coach Erminger. He's really committed to the team and he's been putting in the time and effort, which I really appreciate."

Though it's still early, the outside hitter from Washington Township high school is enjoying a fine senior campaign. Lowther has already been named the CCAC "Player of the Week" for the week of August 27^th, 2012 and recorded a triple double (12 kills, 26 assists, and 14 digs) against rival Purdue Calumet.

Lowther will continue to be a role model on and off the court for the Panthers (4-12, 0-4 CCAC) as this season wraps up.

"The season started out a bit rough, but we're showing signs of improvement. We're working on communicating, executing, and finishing as a team," said Lowther.