ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. --- Sometimes it takes a bad situation to find out how much good a person has done.

For Eckerd volleyball coach Michelle Piantadosi, a cancer diagnosis has opened the door to show how many people she has influenced and how many lives she has touched during her playing and coaching career.

One person who has been affected by Piantadosi is the head coach of NCAA Division III Lynchburg (Va.) College, Beth Ellinger.  Ellinger and her team held a Dig Pink night in honor of Piantadosi on Tuesday, October 6.

The two coaches became friends when Piantadosi was an assistant coach at East Tennessee State University, meeting during a summer camp.

"When you first meet Michelle, you realize the light she shines immediately," said Ellinger.  "She is a radiant human being and encourages all to be better around her.  We went through camp and just got along really well.  We are both very competitive and we share the same passion for the game of volleyball and the people we meet in it.  When camp ended, we kept in touch on the road recruiting, throughout season, and just keeping up with each other in general."

The Dig Pink event was the first one coordinated at Lynchburg.  Ellinger said her team normally does service work in the community, but this year they wanted to do something for a fellow competitor.

"When learning of Michelle's new battle with cancer, you just want to help and send as much support as possible," she said.  "What better way to recognize a part of our volleyball community than in a game."

Thanks to the ease of video conferencing, Piantadosi got to spend a few virtual minutes with the players from Lynchburg and tell them about her journey so far.

"It became clear to me that my team needed to meet her, if for nothing more than to meet who they were going to work for over the next weeks," said Ellinger.  "Michelle was selfless, thankful and and encouraging us for the game up ahead."

While Piantadosi certainly influenced Lynchburg, the inverse was true as well.

"I made sure to try to get them feeling inspired to play for their friends and loved ones who have been affected by breast cancer," she said.  "I wanted them to know that they have touched my life and I felt honored that they were playing for me."

Unfortunately, the Hornets were unable to pin the first conference loss of the season on that night's opponent, Virginia Wesleyan.  But the message of the day was far greater than the outcome of the match.

"We couldn't measure our success in wins and losses," said Ellinger, "because we had a great opportunity to honor a dear friend and many other women who have had this battle."

Eckerd will host its own Dig Pink night on Friday, October 30, when Barry University visits the McArthur Center for a 7:00 match.

--- This release is courtesy of the Eckerd College sports information department. ---
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